Chicago
by AddriannaDestiny
Summary: AH/AU meme set to the 20's in the Windy City. Klaus comes back to Chicago after 10 years away to carry on with the Family business and finds out a lot has changed in 10 years. Starting with the girl he left behind. Film Noir.
1. Pilot

The rain is thick and it has fallen non-stop since they arrived.  
He takes another long draw from his cigarette, fixing his black hat and watches his kid brother beat some low-life into a pulp.

He should tell him to stop but he really can't be bothered with it.  
He pushes the long coat closer to his bones; they feel cold, everything feels cold, even his heart.

He stumps his feet trying to warm a little more and takes another long draw from his smoke, glancing over to the alley again.

Finally Kol steps away from the poor man, Kol rests his bat against his shoulder and smiles at Klaus, message will be sent loud and clear, no one will be stealing from them again.

Klaus knows that the man won't make it through the night; they all turn their backs on the poor fella and leave him bleeding behind.  
Klaus is done with his cigarette, just like he is done with this town.

He only arrived back to Chicago a few hours ago and already he hates it.  
He hates the smell, he hates the people who look at him trying to remember who he is and he hates the memories that this dark town brings down on him.

It has been 10 very long years since he left Chicago and never once looked back.

He left his awful father and his strict ways and never once regretted it, he moved to New Orleans and organized things there, soon after him, his brothers and sister followed his rebellious ways eager to escape their father and his law, harder to endure than the Dry Law itself.

But Mikael was as bad as managing a smuggling business as he was in parenthood and drank more alcohol than he managed to sell.

Kol is talking and laughing with the new kid in their business, the orphan Gilbert kid that they have taken under their wing back in New Orleans but Klaus isn't paying them any attention.

He is too busy thinking about her.  
His blonde demon with the full red lips.

He doesn't feel like going back to Room 21 just now so his brother and the kid take the car and he walks down the empty dark street.

The rain keeps soaking him but it doesn't reach him, he is too restless tonight, too many thoughts and unsettling memories haunt him.

Some man waves at him, he slightly nods at him not sure if it was the priest or the milkman, it's all the same for him; neither are able to give me what he needs.  
Maybe the Green Mill can help him with that so he crosses the street making his way through the cars.

The line outside the Club is big but he knows the man at the door, his brother works for them.  
"Good night Mr Mikaelson" he says and opens the heavy door for him.

* * *

The Club is packed and I make my way to the Bar, I drop my wet hat on the counter looking at the girl behind it, she has dark skin and green eyes, she's beautiful and exotic and I make an educated guess that this is the girl Kol has tried to tap since he arrived into town.

"Hi, I'm Bonnie, how can I help you?" she asks me with a giant smile.

I wasn't wrong and I see why Kol is being persistent, she's something else but Kol doesn't stand a chance with a woman like this, when a woman is this beautiful she is nothing but trouble.

"Gin, no ice" I ask not bothering to mind my voice, everyone inside this joint is drinking my alcohol anyway.  
The girl smiles at me and pours me a generous dose of beverage, I like her already.

"Are you new in town?" she asks me resting her elbows on the counter.  
I watch the girl, the black hair neatly caught in waves, the bright green eyes sparkling with hope and joy; she's far too young to know anything about life.

"Making a return after a few years away" I simply say.  
She keeps her smile and it's contagious, I end up smiling as well but maybe she doesn't catch it because the lights go down.

The Club seems to come alive, now I understand why it's so packed tonight.  
It must be some new girl they have to entertain the poor bastards that can't even afford this place.

I don't look at the stage; I hear the slow sound of the Jazz that it's coming, the two men playing the seductive trumpets just like I love and the piano in the background building up for the grand opening. I've seen too many to keep interest.

The crowd goes wild, the girl is probably a knockout but it's still not enough to make me turn, until she lets out her first note.  
Her voice fills the joint and I stop my drink half-way to my mouth, I must be wrong.

But she proves me I'm not; I could recognize that voice any time, any place.  
It has been on my ear, that sweet enchanting evil voice has whispered sweet nothings in my ear.

I know this voice and the unwelcome memory of her arms laced around me, sitting on a messy bed after a passionate night assaults me.

She's singing in my ear, stroking my bare chest, her head is resting on my shoulder while she is glued to my back and my hands are caressing her bare legs.

And she's singing, singing sweetly and low to me in my memory wearing nothing but my shirt.

"She's amazing isn't she? She's our brightest and biggest Star. A lot of folks come from out-of-town just to see and listen to her" Bonnie says excitedly in front of me but I don't answer her.

Instead I turn around to face the blonde demon singing and dancing on that stage like she owns it, like she was meant to be there all along.  
"She's my friend" Bonnie says again with pride.

I drop the glass harshly on the counter and pick my hat leaving the demon behind.

I'm on my third cigarette when the back door opens to let her out.  
She is laughing and the sound makes my blood come alive.

"Silly John, I won't take all those flowers home, just leave them on the dressing room" she says and closes the door behind her, putting her gloves on.

"I see that you finally made it big sweetheart" I say into the quiet of the night without raising my head.

She freezes her motions and I can hear her gulping down from where I stand.  
Slowly my blonde demon faces me and I am taken aback with her beauty.

I never thought it was possible for Caroline to look more beautiful than when I left her but by God, she is stunning.

Her big eyelashes close, I can't see her piercing eyes and I don't like it.  
I toss my cigarette on the ground and quickly step on it; I walk to her letting her intoxicating smell weaken me.

She feels me growing closer to her and opens her blue eyes to meet me, tonight they are blue, I love that some days they are green.

"When did you get back?" she asks me clicking her teeth and I know that she's not happy to see me. I didn't expect it anyway.

"Last night" I simply say and immediately my eyes are scanning her flawless face, her perfect full red lips that I've missed kissing.

She grits her teeth together and then she does it, she hits me so hard across the face that my hat almost drops from the strength and I slowly face her.

She's mad, pissed at me for what I did but I'm mad as well, there is a reason why I left town and never looked back.

I wait for the second slap to come but she has always been unpredictable and turns her back on me, maybe she's fighting tears.  
I can't tell.

"Why did you come back now?" she whispers without facing me.  
"My father finally died and we decided to come back and take care of business here in Chicago. Kol and the others came last week already" I say wishing she would face me.

"I saw them but when I didn't see Bekah I figured you weren't coming back. Ever"  
Her words wound me; she's hurt that I didn't come back for her.

"I asked you to come with me Caroline" my words come to life and the way they come out surprises even me.  
They are loaded with hurt as well.

She shakes her head "I couldn't just leave everything, my family, my life for someone who..."

She doesn't finish it and I don't need her to, I know why she didn't leave and I know why I didn't come back for her.  
My blonde demon deserved a better life than to live constantly on the outskirts of the law.

"It seems someone has stepped into our turf here in Chicago, stealing merchandise from us and trying to take over our domain" I explain as naturally as I have always spoken about the family business with her.

There has never been any secrets between us.

She faces me and I can't see that anger spread across her face now, just concern.  
She shakes her flawless short wavy hair "You shouldn't be here" she says.

I frown "Have you forgotten already that I don't do what's expected of me?"  
She scorns my words with her smile "The truth is that I have forgotten entirely about you Klaus" she simply says and buries that knife into my heart, deep because she calls me Klaus.

"I guess you are busy now..." I look at the heavy fur coat, the fine jewellery in her wrists and neck. "You aren't the small town simple girl who came to work for us any more"

"But you are still the same bastard that I met Klaus" she says toying with the knife in my heart, insisting on calling me by the name I hate to listen on her lips.

"From cleaning floors into the spotlight, that's one huge step" I want to ask the other words that burn on my tongue but I grow afraid of her answer.

No one becomes this well in life over night and most certainly not a woman and I dread her answer, the thought of another man touching what was once mine has haunted me every night for the past 10 years.

"I did what I had to do to survive, after you left me" she says twisting the knife inside my heart.  
I don't say anything; I don't have anything to tell her.

A black car stops by the sidewalk and she looks in that direction.  
A blonde broad fella comes out of the car and I can already tell I won't like him.

He smiles coming closer to her "Hey Doll, I see you have a fan"  
Doll, he calls her _doll_.

No man can be taken serious if he calls a woman doll and I can't understand why Caroline seems comfortable with it.  
It makes me want to pull out my gun and shoot them both.

"Yes... he was just saying how much he loved the show tonight" she says and I sense fear in her voice.  
The blonde man reaches out his hand to me "Matt Donovan"

I raise my eyes to him, his hand is on her lower back possessive and I can feel my jaw clenching in wrath.  
"And I'm not interested" I manage to say.

She's with the young Donovan now, my family's enemy.  
She's with a typical Chicago wannabe Gangster and I want to slap her around for being so stupid.

Of all the men left in Chicago she goes for this excuse of a man who believes wearing a suit will make others respect him.

I have to keep in mind that killing them both in this alley would bring too much attention that I don't want.  
That I don't need.

I leave them both looking after me as I walk away; I reach inside my pocket for another cigarette ignoring the itch in my hand to grab the gun instead.

I curse the rain that starts falling again and bury the hat deeper in my head.  
Even when I pull the collar of the coat up tugging at my neck, I still feel the rain hitting my sore bones.

I expected to be hard meeting Caroline Forbes again; I didn't expect to be walking away with a bleeding heart from it.

* * *

Klaus finds his older brother Elijah sitting at the desk doing the accounts like always, it's his forte.  
While Kol is flawless with a bat, Elijah is one with numbers.

He gives Klaus a shady look as he goes through the open box of liquor in the floor fetching one for himself.  
"That's money you are stealing" he sternly tells him and Klaus displays one of his best smiles.

He goes to him, he's sitting by the old desk that belonged to their grandfather, the dim light of the candle light still allows Klaus to see the judging look on his face as he takes his soaking wet coat and drops it on the couch followed by the drenched hat on the table over Elijah's precious books.

Elijah faces him as he sits down across him "You seem upset, more than usual"

"Why didn't anyone tell me that Caroline was with that Donovan kid?" Klaus asks pouring a drink for Elijah as well.

"He's not a kid any more, he took over his father's place in the business and he owns the Green Mill... besides, it's been all these years, Caroline is entitled to move on from you" He says and Klaus knows he is right.

He should know he is right.  
But Elijah is the noble and wise one out of them all and quickly changes the subject.

"I think we should be able to recover the loss our father inflicted on us" he says showing him the books.  
But Klaus doesn't look down; he knows what's in them, the inability of their father.

He died as he lived his life, alone and in the end almost ruined everything the family spent years working for.  
"Do we have the good coppers on our side?" Klaus asks refilling his glass.

Elijah's smile tells him what he wants to know.  
He simply nods and they keep to themselves in silence.

Klaus' mind drifts without warning to the blonde Goddess in the white heels and the white sparkling dress back at the Club, she is still the most beautiful girl he has seen in his life.  
And he hates her, he hates her with passion.

* * *

Matt holds the door for her; Caroline smiles and steps down from the fancy car.  
"Good night Matt" she says warmly to him.

He gently moves his arm resting it on the roof of the car and cuts her way, she frowns looking at him.  
"Who was that man in the alley tonight? You have been very silent since we left the club" he asks eager for answers.

Answers she can't give him.  
"No one important Matt and I'm just tired... it's been a long day" she says in that sweet voice of hers.

He smiles and leans over for a kiss, like always she only answers his kiss when she realizes he is lingering on her lips and wants more.  
She is also the first to break away from the kiss, like always.

He sighs and looks down on the ground, he loves Caroline but his patience towards her resistance to let him have her, is slowly testing him.

Matt has his hand on her arm now and gently grips it leaning over for another kiss, she ends the kiss hastily.

"I have to go Matt..." she says quietly avoiding his eyes.  
"Why don't you invite me inside tonight doll?" he asks low and with a smile that she wants to believe is innocent.

She looks up meeting his eyes "You promised me Matt... I need more time"  
"We've been together for a year now and I'm growing very tired of waiting for something more than just a kiss that I have to force out of you" he snaps.

Caroline gives him a stern look "You are free to find someone more eager to please you then Matt"  
Matt doesn't fight her when she moves away from his embrace.

"I love you Caroline" he says as if this gave him the right to finally have her entirely.  
She looks down again "I'm not going to do anything I don't want to just because you hired me at your club to sing"

He smiles knowing she is claiming her own.  
"I would never let you go, not when you are the main attraction" he says with a kind smile this time.

Caroline forces a smile of her own, she knows she has to give in one day but she is doing what she loves, what she has dreamed of doing since she was a little girl, sing.  
It is a small price to pay, so she has been convincing herself for the last year.

"Good night Matt" she says a second time and leaves for good.  
Matt gets inside his car upset, he looks at his driver and bodyguard "Do you know who that man was back at the alley?"

The man turns around, one hand on the wheel and his other arm on the seat facing his boss "I think that was Klaus Mikaelson but I can ask around boss"

Matt opens his suit jacket and looks outside his window at her house "You do that Alaric... find everything there is to know about this fella"

His subordinated nods and then starts the car, Matt knows Caroline is lying to him, he just doesn't know why.

* * *

Caroline closes her front door and rests against it, she closes her eyes trying to make sense of everything.  
"Hey, you are home..."

Caroline opens her eyes to find her mother smiling and carrying a heavy load of fresh towels on her hands.  
She smiles "Yes, I had to go have dinner with Matt, did I miss him awake?"

Liz nods "He wanted to wait but his eyelids took the best of him"  
Caroline sighs and moves from the door, she drops the heavy fur coat on the table and goes upstairs to the bedroom.

She takes her open toe satin stilettos off on the way and drops them on the hall; slowly she opens the door and quietly comes closer to the small bed.

She smiles and sits carefully not to wake him up; she strokes his long soft blonde hair and he sighs in his sleep.

Caroline bends down and kisses his smooth forehead and then moves to stand up but his sleepy voice stops her.  
"Mommy?"

Caroline smiles and looks at him "Pumpkin you are awake..."  
"I waited for you but I guess I fell asleep" he says rolling over so he can look at her better.

"I was a little late tonight..." she says stroking his blonde wavy hair with her fingers.  
"Was the Club full again to see you mommy?" he asks with sparkling eyes.

"Yes pumpkin..." she answers and pokes his nose "But I'll tell you all about it tomorrow, now it's time to sleep"  
The boy pouts "But I've missed you"

Caroline gives him a look, only 10 years old and he is already able to bribe his way into what he wants with smooth words.  
Just like his father.

"Dominic, bed" she sternly says.  
"I'm already in bed mommy" he mischievously smiles and she sees the dimples that never allows her to forget about him.

"I'm leaving to my room now Dominic so I suggest you roll over and go back to sleep" she says serious.

"Will you sing to me before you go? So I can fall asleep?" He asks using his best sweet smile and Caroline breaks down.

Not because of what he is asking, some mothers read stories to their children, she sings to her son.  
What makes her break down is how much she sees him in every little expression and smile of her young son.

She nods and sits against the headboard; Dominic nests his head on her lap and smiles when she starts singing slowly to him.  
He drifts into sleep listening to her sweet voice knowing the lyrics by heart now.

Caroline doesn't move, she spends the night with her son in his bed, watching him sleep and lost in thought.

Nik is back in town and she can't stop worrying about how much everything is in danger of changing.

* * *

**Soundtrack:  
**  
Ain't no other man – _Christina Aguilera_

Dream a little dream of me – _Doris Day_


	2. Cold lies

Klaus stands behind the counter taking his drink slowly, there is a small smile on his face as the fat man wearing a white suit lights his cigar.

He knows the man from back when Mikael was trying to sell his mother's pearls to pay his gambling debts.

This sick bastard was a loan shark at the time but married well and now owns one of the truck companies that the Mikaelson's use to move their forbidden alcohol around.

"I'm just proposing we do a little adjustment in our arrangement... your father was already taking a large portion of the profit but he was well-respected and old in this business so we didn't make many waves... now you... we don't know" the man takes a long pull from his cigar and openly defies Klaus.

A bad move he is about to regret.

Klaus was just a kid when he started doing errands for the big names in Chicago and by age 15 he was doing so much money he started his own side business smuggling cigars.

At first Mikael took his frustration out on him not dealing kindly with the fact that a kid was making so much money and building a name for himself but Klaus grew immune to the beatings and soon was strong enough to take down his father when needed.

Klaus was a rich man before he was 17 and led his own separate life away from his family business.  
But money was never really a problem within this family, surviving it was.

Either way what this fat rat is implying is rubbing Klaus the wrong way, it was time Chicago knew who Klaus Mikaelson was.

"You are absolutely right... we should redo our deal" Klaus says with an uncanny smile.  
The man is suddenly nervous as two others come from the back room stopping behind him.

"The Mayor is my personal friend, he has interest in this as well" the man says trying to weasel his way out of a bad scenario.

Klaus drops his glass slowly on the counter "You are in my joint now, I couldn't care less if you had the Pope in your bed"

The man gulps down watching the younger crazy brother join the party "All right look... someone is making a lot of pressure to stop dealing with you, Johnny Sweet Cheeks tried to tell them no and they burned his trucks last week. He's out of business now and I ain't gonna go down that road for 10% of profit only"

Klaus looks at Kol and both brothers share a smile.  
Their list of enemies is as long as the tallest building Chicago has and it just keeps on growing.

"It's not that I don't want to keep my business with you Klaus, it's just that I might need a little more incentive" the man says taking another long draw from his cigar.

Kol snaps his suspenders loudly next to Klaus, he's getting impatient and that is never a good thing in Kol.  
Klaus chuckles when Kol goes for his beloved bat.

His young brother is too attached to that wooden piece, Kol has a mean right arm and he even got into the White Sox but after a season they had to send him away because his bad temper always got him into trouble and unnecessary fights within his own team.

Klaus is almost certain he sleeps with the bat as his pillow.  
"Don't worry mate, I'll give you the incentive you need" Kol says with a smile.

The man nervously laughs "No reason to get all worked up Kol… I have a bit of a situation at home… my wife is in charge of the company and I had a little indiscretion with a young toots that she found out about, she cut me dry since then. I need the money"

"That's really not my problem is it?" Klaus says and the man puts out his cigar.  
He's too nervous to keep smoking.

"I'm just asking for a little more money, to cover for the risk I'm taking" he pleads knowing by now he's walking away with a few broken fingers if he is that lucky.

"Why don't you ask your friend the Mayor for a loan?" Klaus asks flipping his hand in the air.

The man fretfully laughs when Kol leaves the counter "No need to make things worse, I'm sure we can work something out"  
"I'm sure we will" Kol says and looks at Klaus waiting for his permission.

Klaus moves his head a little at his brother and that's all it takes.  
The two thugs grab the fat man from behind and then he is on the ground being beaten by Kol mercilessly.

Klaus comes near the poor bastard and crouches looking at him "I don't care who's trying to mess with us or how many trucks they burn to catch my attention, if they touch our stuff I will go after them and I will kill every last one of them and their families and pets. Now you go back to your wife and send her to me, I don't do business with weasels and she sounds a lot smarter and braver than you"

The man nods eager to leave with his life and just a broken arm but Kol has a short temper and he's trying to make a name for himself as well so he makes sure the man remembers his name when he's done with him.

It's another cold day but Klaus doesn't go for his coat, he likes the cold in his bones because it makes him feel alive.  
He closes the door to the bar and to the screams as Kol breaks some bones.

Klaus raises his eyes from the smoke as he lights his cigarette when the brown car stops in front of him.

Coppers at Room 21 is just a regular week day but Klaus smiles watching the gumshoe that steps down from the car, this face is a familiar one.

* * *

Caroline likes the mornings at the Club, they are slow and empty, just her and the girls that work there.

She smiles at Bonnie and sits by the counter asking for coffee, her friend easily finds the time to talk to her.

"Hey, everything ok?" her friend knows her well enough to know she's not herself today, the bubbly Caroline that everyone loves is having a blue day.

Caroline simply shakes her head and plays with the feather in her pink hat "Nik's in town" she says low like she's too afraid to say it out loud.

Bonnie's green eyes come to life "Nik? The Nik you told me about?"  
Caroline nods silently; there are only three people in whom she has confided the truth, Bonnie is one of them.

"Have you told him yet?" Bonnie asks carefully.  
Caroline's eyes look for hers in fear that she might regret telling her but Bonnie smiles reassuring her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Bonnie asks sweetly.  
"I've been in love with Nik since I was 14 and he's been the only man I've loved in my entire life but he's also been the one that hurt me the most and now he's back" Caroline says with all that pain buried inside her chest.

"A lot has happened since then Caroline" Bonnie says trying to sooth her friend "Who knows, maybe there's still a chance for you both… it's been so long, people change Caroline"

Caroline smiles into her coffee, Niklaus Mikaelson will never change, she gets up and grabs her hat, after gently squeezing Bonnie's hand she makes her way to the dressing rooms but she knows no one is around and after a careful double-check, she goes into Matt's empty office.

Caroline quietly closes the door and comes to his desk; she scans the papers on top of it fast but doesn't find what she is looking for.

She knows she has little time so she checks the drawer quickly; she smiles when she sees his handwriting and quickly tries to memorize the date scribbled down.

A noise makes her move quickly and put everything like it was before, she makes her way to the door and smiles when she sees Alaric come in.  
"Good morning Alaric, I was looking for Matt" she sweetly says.

Alaric gives her a suspicious look, he never liked the broad, she can't be trusted but his boss is head over heels for her.  
"You know he doesn't come by on Thursdays" he simply says and looks around the office.

Caroline shakes her head laughing "It's Thursday already? God, I'm such a clutz" she says.  
Alaric steps in front of her as she tries to leave, she looks at him without fear "Yes?"

"Boss saw you talking to a man in the back alley, who was that?"  
"No one important, I can't even remember his name anymore" she says flashing a perfect smile and leaves the office.

Alaric isn't convinced a tiny bit and decides to follow her tonight after she leaves the club, she's up to something and he is set on finding out exactly what.

* * *

"Stefan Salvatore or should I call you Detective Salvatore" Klaus asks pouring his old friend a drink.

Stefan smiles and takes off his long brown coat, he takes his gun as well from the holster and rests it on top of the table, Room 21 is the only place he feels comfortable enough to do it and only when Klaus is around.

"You can call me doll if you want to, I'm still a handsome son of a bitch" Stefan says fetching two empty glasses for them while Klaus looks for the good booze.

"I'm not that desperate yet Stefan" Klaus simply says and shows his friend the bottle.  
Stefan smiles liking the colour of it, he loves the taste even more as it burns down to his lungs.

"When were you planning on coming to see me?" he asks offended that Klaus has been in town for two days and hasn't come to find him yet.  
Klaus smiles "It's going to take a miracle for me to walk willingly into the Big House"

"Could have come by my house then, Katherine would be happy to see you again" Stefan says taking a refill.  
"Your wife hates me and would probably put two in my chest before I even stepped inside" Klaus says at ease.

"Yeah, you probably right" Stefan answers and they both laugh.  
What an odd pair of friends, best friends as kids and then Klaus turned to one side of the law and Stefan to the other, they still remained friends through it all though and as close as brothers.

"Have you been to the Green Mill yet?" Stefan asks knowing how sensitive the subject is going to be.  
"Yes I have seen Caroline" Klaus simply says knowing Stefan won't settle for only this.

"She's really famous now, the Club has been riding high on her success and she built a life alone" Stefan informs Klaus, even if he doesn't ask him to.

"What can you tell me about Matt Donovan?" Klaus asks serious and changing the painful subject at once.

Stefan tenses a little in his chair "Don't do this Nik"  
"Relax Stefan" he says with a dark smile "Can't a fella ask around?"

"His goon has been asking an awful lot of questions about you as well" Stefan says and is dead serious as he leans over the table "I can look the other way when your rebel brother decides to play baseball with the criminal's faces that live in this town but if you start butting heads with one of the Mayor's closest friends, this will end bad and I won't be able to keep it quiet Nik"

"I'm just curious about the kid... and this Mayor? Everyone seems to be in his good graces, I'm beginning to feel left out and offended by his ignoring ways" Klaus says easily, he knows Stefan lives for his job but some bonds are stronger than blood and Stefan owes him his life.

"She has the right to move on Nik" Stefan says quietly now, calmer and changing the subject that he has no interest in carrying.  
Klaus presses his jaw "So everyone keeps telling me"

"You two are just a match, both so stubborn to realize you can't live without each other" Stefan shakes his head.

Klaus doesn't answer him; he drowns his words with another drink.

* * *

Kol punches his friend's chest playfully as the two girls walk by them laughing and playing with their long-pearl necklaces.

"Not bad huh?" Kol teases him some more and then sits on a stool returning his attention to the girl walking their way.

"Good evening boys" Bonnie says with that amazing smile of hers.  
"Good evening Miss Bonnie" the young kid says.

Kol and Bonnie laugh at his innocent ways.  
"Never mind my shy virgin bud Jeremy" Kol teases him.

The Gilbert kid blushes and clutches his flat grey hat nervously, he still gets excited with all the women around and how they all are wearing very short and bright dresses.

He sees Caroline Forbes, his idol and points at her without being able to speak.  
Kol laughs at his reaction, he really has to introduce Jeremy to her one of these days, he sees her shining on that stage and smiles, life is funny that way.

One day she is drooling over his brother and taking her mother's place so she can spend time in the house and around Klaus and the other she's singing and dancing for a crowded room.

Bonnie brings them two glasses of Scotch and Kol snaps from his memories, he laughs hard when Jeremy chokes on it and tries to politely cough covering his mouth.  
He really needs to toughen up the kid.

Bonnie smiles at him and turns around to fix a drink for another man.

Kol checks her out shamelessly, he likes the view and he likes the girl.  
She's feisty and she's putting up a fight, that's the kind of woman that makes him lose sleep.

"When will you go out with me Bonnie?" he asks when she comes around for the ice.  
She smiles "Never"

"Never is such a negative word darling" he says pretending sadness.  
She laughs and then takes an ice-cube, she places it on top of the counter and teases him "Here, I think you are going to need something like this to cool down all that action"

Kol is amused by her and grabs the ice "Believe me darling, it will take a lot more than this to cool me down"

"Then I suggest you start looking for another girl because Caroline warned me all about you Kol Mikaelson" she says laughing.

Kol grimaces in his place, traitor.

* * *

I don't know how I got here but I'm here again, against my will and better knowledge.

I toss my cigarette away and go inside the club knowing this is just another nail to my wooden box.  
She's singing already and I stay in the shadows watching her this time, I don't bother going for a drink, I let the pain consume me instead.

Her voice is sweet and she is slowly singing about love and heartache, things my blonde demon is an expert in.  
I don't stay until she finishes, I can't.

I've been through a lot with Caroline to know that the longer I stay near her, the harder it is to pull away from her.  
I'm already by the door when a tall fella steps in front of me.

I suddenly remember it's rude to shoot someone without asking their name first, yeah, I'm having one of those nights.

"Can I help you sweetheart?" I ask enjoying the way his neck vein seems ready to blow up; some men really can't take a joke.

"My boss wants a quick word with you" he nods towards the table at the end of the floor, with the privileged view to the stage where Caroline still sings and shines to my torment.

I smile at the sweetheart "I can't sing, sorry"  
"He wants to talk to you not hire you" the tall blonde man tells me.

Not the sharpest pencil around but then again the lack of brains comes with every broad shoulders in this town.  
"I already told him the other night I'm not interested" I say and walk around him to leave.

The idiot stops me with his hand on my shoulder, he's really that dumb.  
I'm torn between shooting him between the eyes or plainly taking out on him my special pissy mood tonight.

The lights come up, my demon has finished her number and is getting the standing ovation she deserves; the cheerful sounds give me the chance I need.

I smile because I know this is going to hurt, I fetch for my gun inside my suit jacket and smack his nose with it, he's clutching it yelling when I shove him back, before he knows what hit him, I'm all over him in the man's bathroom.

When I'm done with him I clean my gun slowly and drop the towel with his blood down on him "I hate repeating myself so try remembering this time. Tell your _boss _I'll talk to him when he grows a beard and leaves puberty"

I pack my heat again and check myself on the mirror, I fix my tie under the suit vest and then my black hat, tilting it just that bit and then leave the bathroom and the moaning sorry ass lying on the cold floor, I flirt with the choir girls dressed with the really short black dresses and the black stockings and step outside into the cold.

I grab a cigarette and smile, my mood has improved substantially.

I go home but I don't go to my room, instead I stay downstairs in the bar and sit by a table in the dark; it's where I'm most comfortable.

Her face keeps burning in my eyes and I want to dig them out, for now the rest of the bottle I didn't finish with Stefan is helping me ease the urge.

I take my jacket off and roll my sleeves up and lit another one of my beloved cigarettes, Elijah says it will kill me one day and I believe him, just that I rather die of something I enjoy than from a coward bullet with my name on it.

It's not raining tonight but it's a cold night nonetheless and it makes me miss New Orleans, the hot nights is what I miss the most.

It was easy making New Orleans my home; I was away from everything that I hated; away from everything that haunts me in this town.

But I was also away from her, I know I will have to admit it to myself one day that she is the reason I came back to this forsaken town but not tonight.

Only that my blonde demon with the red lips has never been predictable and she takes me by surprise when she knocks on my door, for a minute there I believe it's just the alcohol making me see things but no hallucination is this precise.

Caroline Forbes is standing by my door with a beautiful pink dress and a matching hat, her heavy expensive coat is in her hands and the sweet irony is that she holds my heart in them as well.

She can easily crush it and there's not a damn thing I can do about it because she is standing at my door and all I can think about is kissing her and taking her upstairs to my bed.

"Can I talk to you?" she asks in that sweet velvet voice and looks at me with those big eyes of hers.  
They are green tonight and they are more dangerous than a loaded gun.

I hold the door for her and she easily comes inside, if anything my demon is fearless.  
"It looks exactly the same…" she says taking a look around.

Places, streets, houses never change, just like people; you can change the colour of the walls as many times as you wish but you can never change its foundation.  
Maybe the exception is Caroline; she's prettier now than she ever was.

"What do you want Caroline?" I finally ask her, having her this close is ruining my previous improved mood.  
"You were again at the club tonight" she says looking at me.

Her eyes are scanning my face and I wish I knew what they are seeing.  
"I like the joint, even if its expensive" I say easily and then I can't help myself as the words leave my lips "Just like a lot of things in there"

Caroline reacts to my words and clicks her teeth "What you did to Alaric was a mistake... just like me coming here" she says and gets ready to leave.  
But I can't stop myself and grab her arm as she goes by me "Why are you with that Donovan baby?"

She faces me with a smile "You lost every right to be jealous of me Klaus, ten years ago"  
"I'm not jealous sweetheart, I'm mad at you for becoming a _moll_" I know my words are filled with sting and bitterness but it sure beats slapping her around.

"Matt is not a gangster" she says between her teeth obviously mad at me.  
"But you are his girl?" I say clenching my jaw and I'm surprised words even came out at this point.

"I am many things and none of them concern you" she throws at me and I'm stunned she doesn't call me Klaus again.

"Why are you here?"  
To torture me, I know.

"Matt has been very generous with me…" she starts.  
"I bet he has sweetheart" I stop her.

But she keeps going anyway "And he won't be happy if he finds out about us"  
"What is there to know?" I ask holding on to a stupid hope I shouldn't.

"That it's over" she says locking her eyes with mine.  
I smile "Then why are you worried love?"

"I'm not but I don't want you to start having any ideas" she says and I realize she's faltering.  
Maybe because I'm still holding her arm in my hand.

"You are the one that came to me tonight, not the other way around Caroline" I say but my voice is faltering as well.  
I miss her more than I have lied to myself.

She licks her lips and it takes everything inside me not to make her scream my name on top of the first surface I find.

"I came to tell you that it's over, whatever happened between us ended the day you decided to leave, so stop going to the Green Mill to watch me sing" she says determined.

"You are public property now sweetheart" my betrayed heart spits out.  
She gets away from me mad and I let her go.

I know I went too far but I don't care; I'm mad at her for putting all this on me.

I left because my father was a low-life that drank and beat up my mother until Elijah was old enough to defend her.

He drove my mother to madness and she killed herself with a gunshot, painting Kol's room with her blood on the walls, he was just a baby and his only memory of his mother is her shooting her brains out inside his room.

None of us were given a fair chance, we were all born into this life one way or another and when I finally had enough and wanted to start a new life with her, she had doubts.

The only time I needed Caroline to tell me yes without thinking she said she needed time and I was mad at her, I left and never looked back.

But crime is in my blood, I was born on the wrong side of the tracks and I will die here, so I did what I do best.  
I made money for my family and I thought of her every day for the past ten years.

I run after her and I find her close by, she's sniffling hurt with my words and I cut her way.  
She doesn't say anything, she just looks at me and I see the girl I fell in love with.

The same girl who sneaked into the bar while her mother did the cleaning on the house just to see me.  
Caroline used to chase me around until she turned 16 and then I was the one chasing after her.

I was Caroline's first man when she turned 18 and I never been with another woman since that night.  
At least not entirely, there is only one woman who had me completely and that was her.

It's hard forgetting a woman like Caroline and she knows it.

"He didn't buy me, I didn't sell myself but I am with him now" she tells me and I can't tell if its sorrow or anger that she's pretending.

"He's a kid, you need a man" I tell her noticing the way she lands her big eyes on the ground away from mine.

"This city takes no prisoners Klaus and those who were left behind learned how to adapt. Matt has very important people backing him up and you will end up hurt if you keep ignoring him and his _polite _requests to talk to you"

"I thought you said he wasn't a gangster" I point out her fat lie.  
She smiles and I feel my chest ache with the vision of it.

"I also told myself every night for the past ten years that I hated you and that I was over you" she says and her honesty makes my heart react.

"Why did you really come here Caroline?" I ask so close to her face I can feel her breath on my lips.  
"I came here to tell you to be careful Nik"

I cup her face smiling; she finally calls me by the name I have longed to hear on her full red lips.  
But she removes my hand, rejects my touch and pulls herself together "I belong to Matt now"

The words wound me more than I'm prepared to endure and it hurts when she walks away from me for the second time tonight.

I grab her hand and she slowly looks at me "Don't..." she begs me.

"Don't fool yourself Caroline, you will always be mine" I say letting her hand go.

Caroline says nothing, she just walks away closing her coat, yeah, it always feels cold when you sell your soul to the devil.

* * *

**Soundtrack :**

Cry me a river - _Ella Fitzgerald_


	3. Red lips tell no lies

Caroline can hear the sound from the hallway already and she shakes her head, when she pushes the door to his room, she sees Dominic jumping on his bed, one time higher than the other.

He occasionally giggles when it looks like he's going to miss the middle of it and fly straight to the floor.  
He has a thing for danger and Caroline knows where he got that from.

"And what exactly do you think you are doing young man?" she asks trying to sound stern and upset.

Dominic giggles loudly because he misses the middle again and feels his foot touch the edge of the bed "I'm jumping mommy" he naturally says.

Caroline slightly shakes her head, Dominic and his simple answers to everything.  
"Have I not asked you not to jump on your bed pumpkin?" she asks putting her long gloves on, getting ready to leave.

Dominic is sneaky and ignores the question "One day mommy I will be... this tall" he says jumping really high this time.  
"And why would you want to be that tall Dominic?" she asks him moving to the other hand.

"So I can be tall enough to go the Club and see you sing mommy" he grins.  
She chuckles "Oh I see... and will you be taking your hat and your suit when you go down to the Club then?"

Dominic nods "And my cigarette" he says pulling a hard expression "All the real men smoke mommy"  
Caroline feels her chest tight but tries to dismiss it "Well until then, stop jumping on your bed" she says and catches him as he comes down.

Dominic laughs and Caroline feels that ache that she always feels, he's just like him.  
"Give mommy a kiss, I must be going" she says sweetly to him.

Dominic flashes his dimples "Good night mommy"  
She strokes his chin with her grey satin glove "Behave and don't make grandma upset"

He nods and quickly laces his chubby arms around her neck "Save me a song mommy"  
"Always pumpkin" she hugs him back and kisses his cheek when she pulls away.

He waits until she goes downstairs to start jumping again.

* * *

The woman pulls her big hat closer to her face, she's trying to stay hidden from all the looks, this is a bad neighbourhood or at least not the best and she doesn't want to be seen here.

She finally sees the bar and lowers her head when a group of men walk by her, what if one of them recognizes her?

She rushes faster to the place and pushes the door open, she takes a moment to breathe, the place is empty and stuffed, smoke fills it but there's also some unknown smell that lingers in the air.

She takes off her hat and fixes her curly ends, she notices two men sitting at a table and one behind the counter reading a newspaper and she walks to him.  
"Good evening..." she says slowly.

The man ignores her and turns another page, he's holding a cigarette that isn't lit between his lips and she blushes noticing how perfect they are.  
"I'm looking for someone" she says coming closer.

"I suspected already you didn't come in for the coffee" he says and raises his eyes to her.  
She skips a beat of her heart, she's not expecting the man to be so attractive and to be looking at her like this; no one ever looked at her like this.

She nervously smiles "I'm looking for Klaus..."  
"And what would you want with this Klaus?" he asks her and takes the cigarette from his lips, he causally plays with it and she feels completely hypnotized by him.

"My husband was here the other day and Klaus said I should come make business with him instead of my useless husband..."  
The man smiles and she feels dizzy, surely because it's so stuffed in here.

"So he was a coward and he did send his wife. Tell me... what share should I give you for your services then?"  
Her breath quickens with his words and innuendos "I have another proposition..." she says and knows that her voice and courage are failing her.

"I'm listening" he says and keeps his eyes on her now.  
"The girl my husband has been seeing... is there a way to make her... go away?" she asks in a whisper.

"You have to speak up love, the devil can't hear you" he says with a dark smile.  
She is shaking when she takes the envelope from her bag and hands him "There's more from where that came from. I want her gone"

He purses his lips amused and reaches out for the money, he doesn't count it, he knows it's worth a load of good liquor.

"A weasel and a skunk... what a couple" he says and drops the envelope harshly on top of the newspaper "I don't know where you got the idea we were into the bump off girls business. Take your money and scram. Don't come back here"

She is mad and grabs the money "I just wanted her out of my marriage"  
"Maybe you should learn how to keep your husband at home love, now go back home and have a few gins and we'll forget about this"

She slowly turns around to leave but his voice makes her stop.  
"I'll be doing the next load with your trucks for free"

She turns around hastily and he is happy to explain with a smile "If anything happens to that poor girl I will know it was you and I don't think the big house will suit you darling"  
"Are you..." she takes a deep breath and simply nods "Good evening... Klaus"

She turns around and leaves mad that she came in set on having the girl taken care of and walks away being blackmailed.  
"Not bad..." Klaus says from the far end table where he is having a drink with Elijah.

Kol flashes him a huge smile "I always wanted to be you"  
"You were very convincing as him" Elijah says smiling and there is a hint of pride there.

Kol sees it and closes the sports section he has been reading and goes to them; he grabs a chair and sits with the back of it to him.  
"I've been asking around about this Donovan fella" Kol says tapping his fingers on the table.

Klaus says nothing, he sips from his drink and looks at Kol, his brother carries on.  
"He's our age, mine and Caroline's and he inherited his father's business and name, he's eager to make a name for himself though and cut all ties to his old man so he has been making some interesting friends" Kol explains easily.

"The Mayor?" Elijah asks savouring his drink slowly.  
"Richard Lockwood but Donovan is close to his son and there are rumours on every corner that they are trying to start a side business with Donovan's money and Lockwood's connections" Kol says and then squints "I also heard that Donovan had his eye on Caroline for a year before she finally gave in..."

Klaus jaw is showing signs of his tamed anger but he keeps it all inside "It's not my business whose bed she warms at night"

Kol licks his lips not pleased and looks at Elijah.  
He doesn't like the tension between his brother and Caroline but he isn't going to start a fight with Klaus over this.

"Maybe she got tired of waiting..." Elijah says but doesn't finish because Klaus gives him a dark stare.  
"Well... I have to get going, I have a girl to win over" Kol says and stands up "Or a bottle of anything to give my undivided attention to in case she rejects me again tonight"

Klaus smiles but Kol knows he is making an effort, sometimes that is almost as good as a genuine smile from Klaus.

* * *

A little more rouge should be enough for tonight's look, I'm wearing a long dress tonight, just below my knee, quite a scandal actually, the main attraction in the night club doesn't wear a short dress with showing stockings.

But I'm not a choir girl or the girl that sells cigarettes on the floor.  
I'm the star.

I look at the poster with my name on it and though the picture there makes me no justice I still enjoy it.  
It's my name up there after all.

I can hear the crowd tonight, it's another full house and I smile, they are all here for me, I came a long way from singing while cleaning floors and changing sheets at the Mikaelson's.

Someone yells that I have 2 minutes to get ready, I laugh to myself, I have been ready all my life.  
I was born to do this, to sing and dance and put up a show so good that makes the cold gin seem sizzling hot.

I just need one last touch, my red lipstick.  
I start with my upper lip and the memories come to me, I remember the first lipstick I ever bought, the red cheap lipstick that I bought and hardly knew how to apply.

I know it looked messy when I came into Room 31 with the grocery and a new colour to my lips, I was just 16 and I wanted to impress him.

I needed to impress him and so I bought a beautiful red dress and I brushed my hair the best way I knew to make it wavy and got some red lipstick, his favourite colour.

And when I walked into the bar that day, on the way to the stairs that led to the house, he finally noticed me.

I can't help the nostalgic smile as I remember Nik talking eagerly with his friends and then stopping when I came in, it's still the most incredible memory I cherish, closely followed by my first night with him.

For years I dreamed of catching his attention, always around him, always hoping he would notice me and then one day he finally saw me.

He came rushing upstairs to help me put away the things I bought and then he was the one chasing after me.

Oh and I made him chase me, I made him work hard because I loved being chased by him and he never gave up, until I sweetly gave in.

When I finish my bottom lip, the memories are bringing me a wave of sadness and I have to fight it hard.

Nik is a hard man to forget and every time I wear my trade mark red lipstick I think of him.  
I fix my long pearls and loosen up the second loop to them, the flower in my hair is perfect and I take a look in the mirror.

Caroline Forbes, don't you look dapper.  
I giggle and rush to the stage, the girls are already waiting for me and I smile at them.

The lights go down and I take the centre of the stage, I turn my back on them and the piano man starts his job.  
Slowly giving way to me, I swing my hips slowly and I smile because I can hear the first reactions to it.

My long dress has a bow just above the waist and it's swinging with my hips, the trumpet kid starts crying with his sad tune and I have a bigger smile knowing what's coming.

I turn my head to the side and let them see my flower, I hear a few cheers and I already know they approve my fashion choice for tonight.

The piano gets faster and the trumpet hotter and my girls begin to move like me, when I start singing, I'm still not facing them, I'm making them wait, chase after me, just like I did with him.

Because in my head it's still for him that I get all dressed up.

When I finally turn to face my audience, I have them on their knees and I give them what they want, I give them a show because like every time, I don't see the women scolding me jealous or the men drooling into their glasses, I see him.

I see Nik and I sing and dance for him.

* * *

Klaus should know better but he doesn't, she's here and he can't stay away for too long.

He finds a place on the counter and smiles at Bonnie that has her hands full tonight, the joint is packed and it's hard to hear anything but Caroline's flawless voice.

He doesn't have to order though because the girl with green eyes and a killer smile knows his fix already and drops a full glass in front of him.

He smiles taking it and leaving his hat there instead, he turns around and leans against the counter; he scans the place around and finds the goon from a few nights ago and smirks at him raising his glass to him.

He can see his rage from here and he is amused by it.

And then it happens, the Donovan kid manages to take his eyes away from Caroline and looks at Klaus, he whispers something to his hired muscle and Klaus doesn't wait, he takes the hat and walks to the table.

He sees the smile on the kid's face and wants to punch him already.

Matt opens his arms from where they are resting, on his sides in the padded boot that belongs to him "Welcome to my Club Mr Mikaelson"

Klaus easily sits across him "Please... call me Klaus"  
"I was told to respect my elders" Matt says with an acid smile.

Klaus drops his hat over the goons drink just to spike him and smiles at Matt "A few years that hardly count besides we both been asking a lot of questions about one another, shall we cut the formalities then?"

Matt smiles and moves to grab his drink "Very well... Klaus. It seems we have a bit of a situation"  
"Surely you are not talking about the nose job I provided your sweetheart here" Klaus asked nodding at Alaric.

Matt puts his hand on the man's shoulder stopping him from going at Klaus.  
"No... that I can look away but it seems that some of my business has been clashing with yours"

Klaus sizes the kid and takes his drink to his lips "Chicago is a very big city Donovan... I'm sure we'll find a way to not step on each other's toes and make enough profit on our ends"

"I don't want to start any wars. Things have been nice so far, I'd hate to start new enemies just because the big kids don't like to share"

Klaus smiles hugely at him and leans back on his chair "So you don't mind sharing?"  
Matt hesitates for a moment but then he smiles "Not at all"

"Good to know kid" Klaus says with a smirk that leaves Matt doubtful of his intentions.

* * *

Kol smiles at some girl who is fixing her shoe and showing her leg as she does so "Need some help darling?" he offers shamelessly.

The girl laughs "I'm sure my husband would love that, baby"

Kol gives her his best smile "Well if you ever get tired of the old fella..."  
She openly flirts with him and looks after him as he walks away to the bar without looking back.

He sees Bonnie and his smile stays there, she is wearing a black dress with sparkling beads and he finds her irresistible tonight, the fact that her dress is short helps as well.  
He is particularly fond of the way it flows when she walks.

"Here I am Bonnie... like all other nights, waiting for you to say yes" he says when she comes closer to him.  
Bonnie laughs "I already know Chicago, I've been here for two years already"

"I bet I know a lot of corners that you don't even know about"  
She laughs louder this time and comes closer to him, she rests her elbows on the counter and gives him a seductive look "Why would I want to see the corners that you have shown every girl in Chicago?"

"You are being judgemental now, I have not shown the city to every darling that smiles at me" he easily says.

Bonnie doesn't say anything this time, she likes the flirty ways to Kol and his charm, he has a fun way of seeing life and she likes that, it beats the other creepy old guys that try to grope her ass every time she comes out of the bar.

There's something different about Kol, there's a danger that lingers there in every word he says and every smile that he uses perfectly and she's attracted to him, even if Caroline has asked her not to fall for him because he's all wet when it comes to women, that he can't be trusted.

But Bonnie came to Chicago alone and embraced a new life because she is fearless.

"Hey toots are you going to stay there all night or are you going to bring that sweet juice this way?" a man shouts to Bonnie.  
She rolls her eyes and looks behind her to the man laughing with a group.

"I'll be there in a minute" she says with an annoyed look.  
"Do I have to pay extra for the sweet talk and smiles that you are leaving on that side?" he laughs.

Bonnie ignores him, she's used by now to the occasional pill that drinks too much and bothers her mostly to impress his friends.

She smiles at Kol and turns around to work, she asks what it will be and the man just keeps sending her silly remarks.

It all goes relatively well until one of his friends decides to grab her hand and pull her over the counter for some easy touching, she doesn't even know how Kol made it there so fast.

She only knows that she's happy he is there, pushing the disgusting drunk men away from her.

* * *

"Come on Stefan... I still want to dance" Katherine says rushing inside the club.

Stefan sighs and follows her "You have all night Kat... take it easy"  
"Easy? I am dancing until I drop Stefan" she says excited.

The nights he brings her here are the ones she loves the most, she loves everything, the bootleg, the music, even Caroline isn't that annoying most of the time.

She fixes her perfect bob and pulls Stefan's hand to the floor where she moves her hips and her ruffled dress to the sound of crazy fast trumpets and a hot piano.

Stefan easily gives in and dances with her; it's not every day that he gets to spend time with his sexy, fun wife.

His work takes a lot of his time and he spends most nights plotting to get to the big sharks in this town and dodging bullets but he does it all with a smile, he loves being a bull and he knows that's all he has ever been good at.

Katherine laughs when he swiftly tips her over, he's a great dancer, he grew up in Clubs with Klaus and their best stories are the ones that include dancing, women and getting into fights, in fact the biggest scar in his body is from dodging a sharp shiv destined for Klaus but it doesn't compare to the one Klaus has next to his heart.

The bullet Klaus took that was meant to kill him.

* * *

I'm tired from all the pictures, this new invention has everyone on hype and I lose count of how many I take after my shows but I like the enthusiasm in those who come talk to me so I always do my best pose and smile.

I smile until my cheeks hurt and I do it with love.  
I glance over to Matt's exclusive table and my heart misses a troubling beat, Nik is there with him.

This can't be good and I excuse myself from the small group throwing compliments at me and rush to the red booth.  
I hate the way Nik ignores my arrival but I shouldn't be too surprised about it.

"Hey doll, great show tonight" Matt tells me and I see Nik's lips twist, he hates this word.  
I smile at Matt easily "Thank you, I had fun..."

"My doll always knows how to have fun" he says and I curse him for it.  
He knows about me and Nik, he has to know or he wouldn't be sharing drinks with his direct competition in this town.

He wants the Mikaelson scam bad because there's only one thing that Matt loves more than this Club, money.

Nik doesn't react to his words, he is looking at the girls shaking their feathers on the floor and I hate the sting inside me, he could at least look at me.

Matt reaches out his hand to me and like the good pup I take it and seat beside him, he likes showing me off as his girl, his property.  
After shows, dinners or any chance he has to tell Chicago that the blonde singer is his.

I play along because I have to; I also know that he loves me under all this need to be someone who people envy.

He leans over and kisses me, I expect a simple kiss but Matt is set on pushing the man having a smoke and ignoring us.

Only that he isn't and when Matt finally pulls away because I don't answer his kiss, I see Nik finally looking at me and it stabs me right in the heart.

He's not mad, he's not about to start havoc and shoot everyone in sight, he's hurt and that kills me inside.

"Do you want to dance?" I ask Matt, eager to leave this table, to get away from Nik's eyes that slowly return to the other girls.

But Matt is one sadistic bastard when he wants to and he smiles "Maybe you should dance with my new associate, Klaus. I recently found out he was a very old friend of yours"

And the words fall like ice, Nik slowly looks at Matt and I don't know how to react to this.  
"And here I was thinking you were that dense" Nik says and I forget how to breathe.

Matt smiles "She was yours, she's mine now and you should dance with her because that's all I'm willing to share of her"  
"I'll take it" Nik says with a smile and grabs my hand.

I wobbly follow him not sure if we are both going to make it past tonight.  
"Fine gangster that you found for yourself Caroline" he says and raises my arm so that I turn around.

I slowly twirl around and face him, he places his big strong hand on the small of my back and I slowly face his piercing blue eyes.  
Deep as the anger he feels towards me now.

I know, it must be hard to accept that I didn't go with him because he was a gangster in the makings and now I'm with one.  
"You shouldn't be so fast to underestimate Matt..." I simply say.

He's dancing with me slowly and it's for the best, I'm about to fall to the floor at any second.  
"I'm not, I know ambition when I see it" he says in a low voice.

I look away from him and he pulls me closer to him, I gasp because it takes me back to when I was 17 and he was sneaking me into Clubs with him.

"Matt is a lot more dangerous than you are giving him credit for" I whisper because all the jolly dancers around us have ears.

But Nik shrugs it off with a chuckle "Isn't that what they've always said about me and my family?"  
I lick my lips and search for his eyes "This isn't going to end well. I know you, you won't back down and he won't stop until you do"

He smiles "Relax my little blonde demon with the red lips, he wants money and that's something I can give him"

"That's not all he wants..." I say and feel my breathing changing because he is too close to me and his smell is making me dizzy.

"I was here first, all that he wants was mine first" he says in that deep voice that has whispered so many forbidden things in my ear.

I don't know why but my hand is moving to his broad shoulder and I'm lost in his gaze.  
There's so much I want to tell him, so much I need to tell him but I can't, not yet.

A loud noise comes from the bar and we turn there, it's Kol in the middle of a fight and I break away from Nik, expecting him to go to his brother but Nik has never done what's expected of him and takes the opportunity that there's a huge commotion.

Everyone's attention is there, Stefan is there too, breaking up the fight and I stumble because I'm being pulled along the floor.

It takes me a second to realize Nik is dragging me to the back door, he pushes it open and the freezing night hurts my skin.

"What are you doing Nik?" I ask and free my hand from his strong hold.  
"I'm taking back what's mine" he says between clenched teeth and a stern face.

I don't even put up a fight when he laces his hand around my neck and pulls me to him.  
He presses his lips harshly against mine and I let him, I part them for him and allow him to kiss me like only Nik knows.

And I kiss him back, for the first time in all these years I kiss a man back and it feels like everything inside me is alive again.  
I let him pull my body closer to his and my skin is now hurting but not from the cold but from his touch.

My hand finds his neck and his hair and I feel like crying because I've missed him so much, I've missed the way he tastes of cigarette and alcohol and the way he holds me close to him.  
Like he owns me.

Nik doesn't just kiss someone; he leaves a mark on a woman, one that you can't erase ever.  
I know I'm his, I know I belong to him, I just can't be with him.

He ends the kiss and I'm left out of breath and sanity, he smiles and runs his thumb over my smeared lips "Red lips tell no lies sweetheart" he says knowing I can't deny how much I still love him.  
"Nik... I need to tell you something..." I whisper knowing I owe him this much as well.

But there's someone coming and the back door opens, Nik pulls away from me, stroking my cheek and leaves to go back inside the club by the front door.  
He leaves me there and I'm fighting tears.

I pull myself together when Stefan comes out with Kol by his arm, the young Mikaelson opens his arms showing that he won't go back inside and walks away with a bleeding cut in his face.

Stefan turns and sees me there, he makes sure no one is watching "The orchids you got us were really valuable" he simply says.

I nod "Alaric is getting suspicious though so I have to be careful" I whisper.  
Stefan smiles "We almost got them Caroline"

I push my tears back "That's what you said six months ago" I say and go back inside to my personal hell.

* * *

Kol presses his bleeding eyebrow mad, what a wonderful night.  
Stefan didn't even allow him to have some good punches at the guy that made him bleed.

He crosses the dark night into the other side of the street when he hears someone calling out for him.  
"Kol" he listens again and knows he's not mistaken.

He turns and sees Bonnie running in her black dress, the beads are sparkling even more now in the dark and he is mesmerized by the image.  
"Wait up..." she says out of breath.

He stops and looks surprised at her.  
"Tomorrow is my day off so... maybe you could show me Chicago?" she asks with a huge smile.

Kol opens up to a smile as well "I'll pick you up for breakfast then"  
"Do you know where I live?" she asks smiling.

"Of course darling" he says and walks away feeling a lot better about tonight.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

L.O.V.E - _VV Brown_


	4. Names

Klaus is waiting outside, Kol has been talking _nicely _to some guy inside a garage; he can listen to the man's screams as Kol closes the door of the Breezer on his hand.

Klaus knows Kol is far too young to have all this rage build up inside him but there's nothing none of them can do for the rebel kid with the hazel eyes.  
Kol has been broken since the day he watched his own mother blow her crazy brains out.

The screams become softer and Klaus knows the man has agreed to pay what he owes them, Elijah is flawless with his books and he is inside making sure he gets what the man should have paid months ago.

Klaus takes a long draw from his cigarette enjoying the easy day, at least its not raining today but the sky is still grey and the clouds are still heavy.

A door nearby closes and he raises his eyes to the sudden movement, Kol's unique persuasion measures have become discreet now but still, Klaus doesn't have the urge to sugar another copper's hand this week.

He quickly returns to his smoke because it's just a kid, there's another noise, same door.

"Hey Nic" Another kid calls and Klaus looks up, he doesn't move his low placed hat though, whoever wants a word with him should come to him.  
"Wait up Nic" the kid says again and Klaus realises he's calling after the first kid.

The blonde kid sighs deeply and stops a few feet away from Klaus "What?"  
"You left this behind..." The second kid hands him a baseball ball with names on it.

The kid is tall for his age, Klaus guesses and watches as he takes his hand from inside his jacket pocket and takes the ball from the other fat kid.  
"Look at that, you had it all along"

The fat kid awkwardly smiles "It was a joke, lighten up Nic"  
The blonde kid is visibly annoyed at the stunt "You are hilarious Harry, my belly hurts with all the laughter"

Klaus finds the line amusing and smiles as the blonde kid turns to leave.  
"We were just joking around, besides I'm sure your mom can get you another one" the fat kid says easily.

The blonde kid stops and clenches his teeth, he faces the fat kid and for a second Klaus thinks that he might actually start throwing a few punches at the _funny _kid.

"It's not about that you sap, it's the principal behind it. The ball belongs to me and I only brought it today because you and your brother wanted to see it and then you go and hide it. Yes, my mom can get me twelve more like this one but this one isn't yours" the blonde kid says twisting his hand with the ball.

"I'm sorry Nic... it was a stupid joke" the fat kid says sad.  
The blonde one rolls his eyes "I'm gonna scram Harry, I'm going home and I'm telling my mom about this"

The fat kid gets suddenly worried "But you can't, if you do that, she won't let you come around anymore"  
There's an evil smile on the kid's face and Klaus finds it amazing that it's there for a kid so young "And what are you willing to give me so I don't tell my mom about this?" he waves the ball in his hand.

"What do you want?" the fat kid gives in as fast as rain dropping in Chicago.  
The blonde kid stretches his hand out "How about all the chocolate that you have on you?"

The fat kid grimaces at once, the blonde one knows how to go in for the kill.  
Easily the other one reaches inside his jacket and hands the chocolate bar he has on him but the blonde one is good at this and keeps his hand stretched out, Klaus finds it all amusing and smiles through the smoke that leaves his lips.

"You just razzing me now Nic..." the other kid says and takes the chocolate he has inside his back pocket.  
"Next time level with me when I ask what you did with my stuff" the blonde kid simply says and the other one solemnly leaves, at least he knows the popular kid will still come around his house.

The blonde one came out wining from this and Klaus can't help the chuckle.  
"Next time ask for the chocolate he hides inside his hat" Klaus says as the kid walks past him eating chocolate and playing with the autographed ball in his hand.

The kid catches the ball easily as it comes down and looks at Klaus serious "I forgot that"  
"A beginner's mistake" Klaus simply says and throws his cigarette away.

The kid looks at him with a smile; he looks exactly how he wants to be when he's old enough to buy a fedora hat and start smoking.

The man is tall and broad and he knows that he can put up a good fight and he's drawn to him instantly.

"I'll remember that next time" the blonde kid says with a happy smile.  
He throws the ball in the air and easily asks the man "What's your name?"

The man softly laughs "It seems we share the same name"  
The kid frowns "My name is Dominic... my friends call me Nic. I like that one better but my mom hates it"

Klaus licks his lips smiling "She obviously doesn't know a good name when she sees one"  
The kid shrugs "I don't mind, it's just a name and none of these idiots are really my friends"

"That's sad" Klaus says and he wonders why he is having a conversation with a kid so easily.  
"My mom is really famous and so everyone wants to invite me to play with them" he says easily.

"Well Nic, you should demand more chocolate for your services" Klaus says with a smile.  
Dominic looks down on his chocolate "Ummm" he lets out thoughtful, he looks at Klaus "I never thought of that"

Klaus shrugs amused and smiles at the kid.  
"Thanks Nik" the kid says smiling and walks away, already thinking of a scam to get chocolate out of his play visits.

Klaus is actually smiling when Kol and Elijah leave the house behind him, he'd be an awful father, he knows that but sometimes he thinks about it.  
The thought has crossed his mind over the last years.

A kid, a son with Caroline and maybe he would have that slice of heaven that always seems so out of reach when it comes to his family but like always he pushes the thought away, he wouldn't be a good father anyway and he would just ruin and destroy the kid's life like his father did to him and his siblings.

Klaus knows he isn't meant to be that happy.

* * *

"You are letting this one slide?" Tyler asks me pointing at Alaric's new nose.

Alaric grunts upset and touches it again.  
I've watched Alaric touch that broken nose for the last week too many times; it's giving me an itch to cut it off.

"I have bigger issues than Alaric's improved nose" I simply say and open my suit jacket sitting at the couch.  
Tyler runs his hand over his vest buttons and looks at me "Who is this Klaus Mikaelson and more importantly why is he still breathing?"

The sheer stupidity in Tyler astonishes me sometimes "He's just one big part of the most important family in town Tyler"  
Tyler scorns my words foolishly like always "Matt... that's my family"

I smile to prevent taking a gun and shooting the idiot "Your father is the Mayor of Chicago Tyler... that only means he gets a lot of bribes"  
Tyler is upset, I can tell by the way he looks at me serious.

"The Mikaelson's... Klaus in particular owns the bribes that elected your father, his family is so embedded into this town's history that he has the power to choose who will sit on that chair your father is warming right now. The sweet doll that is sitting at your father's lap as we speak was hand-picked by Klaus family to be his secretary and while she is taking your father to heaven, the gin in which your mother is drowning her sorrows now is courtesy of the Mikaelson's business"

I try to calm down, Tyler is an arrogant bastard and the only reason I still do business with him is because of his father's connections, a puppet or not he still gets the right tables in all the good restaurants in town, at least while he is this town's face for the rest of the year.

"So they have their hands into a lot of things in town..." Tyler says and uses my booze to fill his glass.  
He is as generous using my free scotch as he is spending money.

He checks his new golden pocket watch just so that I see his new acquisition and I roll my eyes, I have no idea how I ended up having this idiot as my partner.  
"Our next load comes in tomorrow" he says and makes a face because my scotch is strong.

"I know... it would be nice if you didn't burn the trucks this time..." I say and wonder if Caroline is around.

"Nothing like putting the good Lord's fear into some people... some were reluctant to accept our generous offer to make business with them" Tyler tells me naturally.

"And the new place?" I ask wanting to go straight to the point, Tyler is getting on my nerves today.  
"All settled... we should open by the end of the week" he tells me and I know he's lying.

Some men have been there already gambling and watching the girls Tyler has personally picked and I'm sure that tried.  
I nod at Alaric and feel sorry for my liquor that ends on the floor as Alaric punches Tyler right in the belly.

He is coughing when I slowly get up and go to him "This thing we have going on Tyler, only works if you stop trying to steal money from me"  
"I haven't..." he stupidly tries to tell me and I press my jaw and before I know it, my fist is hard against his face.

Alaric holds him down for me and I hit his face again, I look at the stupid watch he bought with money he is stealing from me and yank it from his expensive suit.

"Get lost Tyler before I end up giving your mother another reason to drink until she passes out" I say and like the coward that Tyler Lockwood is, he is running out of my office like a sinner runs from the devil.

There's a soft knock on my door and I smile, my doll is here "Come in" I tell her.  
She makes her way inside and my eyes are smiling as much as my lips, she is breathtaking as always, the beautiful blue dress with the big bow on her waist, the matching blue piece on her flawless wavy hair and that smile that can hit a man harder than a good punch.

"Hi Matt, I came to say goodbye, it's my night off and I'm leaving" she tells me in a sweet voice, as sweet as cotton.

I pull her to me and Alaric leaves the office, closing the door quickly after him, I know that he doesn't like Caroline, he doesn't trust her but even if she is deceiving me, it's worth it because a woman like Caroline Forbes is one in a million.

She smiles at me and everything inside me melts and I'm at her mercy, I wish she would just shoot me already if that's what she is here to do.

My hand touches her soft cheek and I know it's rough against the smoothness of her skin but I can't help touching her.

She doesn't fight me as I expect her to when I lean over to kiss her, her hands even graze my unworthy face.

I kiss her as passionately as I wish she would kiss me and this time she answers me back, she kisses me back and I pull her closer to me, this must be a sweet doom that is coming fast my way.

Her satin gloves are stroking my cheek and I want to die, I want to die in this moment with Caroline but it doesn't last, she breaks the kiss again, always the first one.

She smiles at me and her satin index trails my hard features, she stops at the scar that lives on my lip.

"Why can't you love me back as much as I love you Caroline?" I ask her wanting a decent answer this time.  
She smiles and leans over to kiss my lips "I do love you Matt... Just not like you want me to"

"You've given me this answer for months now Caroline and I have waited for you. I never waited for any woman before and you keep making me wait..."

She stops me with her finger pressed to my lips "I never told you to wait for me Matt. I always told you that I was broken inside and that I couldn't give you what your heart craved for"

She feels perfect under my hands and I want to have her, I still don't know why I haven't moved on since she won't give into me but when my hands move to cup her face, I have my answer.  
I rather have Caroline kissing me while she is thinking of another man than not have Caroline at all.

She kisses my lips again and I smile, it will be enough for now, as it always is.  
She smiles and my heart aches as she walks away swinging her hips leaving me burning in an invisible fire.

Alaric comes in, I fix a drink and then I look at him, he only nods, he knows what I want and leaves quietly.

He returns with one of the choir girls, another Jane set on making a name for herself, to outshine all the brightest stars in Chicago.

She smiles coming closer to the couch where I'm sitting and having my drink, it's a nice smile but she's no Caroline.

"I like your office..." she says and I can tell she is from some small town whose name I will forget as soon as she starts doing what she was brought her to do.

"Thanks..." I say and smile at her; I stroke her chin "What's your name doll?"  
Again she smiles and I like it even less this time, she can't smile like Caroline does.

"Sarah" she says and I feel her hand on my leg, it's slowly making way to where I want.  
She smiles again and her hand lets me know she's been in someone else's office before.

I finish my drink and rest my head against the couch when she shows me how good she is at this and for a while her name is not Sarah, and it's not her lips that I imagine torturing me, it's Caroline's.

* * *

Jeremy is pacing in front of the club; he knows it's not her night of performing so he knows his chances are little here, still he has the night off as well.

Kol is busy with some new girl and he really wants to have her name in a piece of paper that he will keep religiously inside his wallet.

His mouth goes instantly dry when she steps outside the Club, the bouncer bowing at her, the Queen smiles at him and Jeremy knows he has to actually move but he can't.

She is so beautiful, her hair is golden blonde and her heavy coat is hiding the blue dress that he caught a glimpse off, she is a goddess and Jeremy just stands there clutching his hat in his hands.

She waits for her car to come around when she notices him, the boy is just standing there and she chuckles.

She's seen enough drooling boys to know he is here for her and she has seen him with Kol, she walks to him.  
The boy gulps down loudly as she comes near him.

"Hi... You are Kol's friend, right?"  
Jeremy nods unable to speak.

She laughs and he widens his eyes amazed by it.  
"Do you have a name? Or will I have to call you Kol's friend?"

"Jeremy" he manages to say.  
She smiles warmly at him "How old are you Jeremy?"

"16" he says astonished that she's actually making him questions.  
And Caroline smiles again but she is lost in her own memories of when she was 16.

* * *

Bonnie moans loudly and she knows that she's about to scream but she can't really help it, she's so close now and Kol keeps moving like she had no idea a man could move and everything is about to explode inside her.

"Oh God..." she gasps and holds on to him tight; he's moving skilfully and driving her insane.  
She loves how strong his body feels under her hands and how his own heavy breathing is hot on her neck.

He reaches out to grab the iron bed and presses her closer to him and Bonnie loses it, she's screaming his name now and she doesn't care if her nosy neighbour is listening.  
She's having the best sex of her life and she doesn't care about anything else right now.

He looks at her and for a moment there she looks at him as well, it's so intense that she doesn't know how she went from starting her day by having coffee with him to end up under him on her bed screaming his name.

He cups her face gently and it sends a whole different wave of fire through her, she trails his sweaty back with her hands and moans again as he slows down his pace.

Kol strokes her chin and then kisses her, it's a sweet almost innocent kiss and Bonnie strokes his hair, his neck, his back again when he resumes to his fast pace.

"Kol..." she moans in pleasure.  
And he loves it, he smiles loving the way his name sounds on her sinful lips.

He touches them with his finger and then he runs his tongue over them, she moans loudly again but says his name lost in him.  
And he loves it; he loves every second of it.

As she loves when he finishes his torture and they both end up kissing tiredly.  
"That's one amazing tour around Chicago..." She whispers tired, stroking his sweaty hair, his baby features.

He gives her one amazing smirk "I said I knew the town like no one"  
She laughs softly, happy with how her night is going.

And then later when she's lying on his chest, close to him and he's stroking her hair; he doesn't feel like he has to put up a show.  
He knows he's a huge mess inside and that he wants to be happy, he just doesn't know how.

* * *

_"Are you coming in?"  
Someone asks Klaus outside the Club._

_He smiles "No, I'm waiting for my girl"  
"Still hung up on that blonde?" the boy smirks._

_Klaus gives him a look, he hates when they talk about Caroline, in any way._  
_The boy knows Klaus' temper too well and goes inside the Club._

_Klaus looks for his cigarettes but he doesn't take them out of his black vest because he sees her._  
_Caroline is rushing down the street in her perfect new red dress, the one he bought for her and that it fits her like a glove._

_He is making so much money that he doesn't even know what to do with it, buying his girl new things is __just one way to go._

She finally sees him and smiles and his chest is aching, Klaus has no idea how he managed so many years without noticing her, now he can't even imagine his life without her.  
  
_"Did I keep you waiting for long? It was hard dodging my mother today, she's growing suspicious..." she says softly and takes his hand as he easily stretches it out to her.  
"Suspicious of what love?" he asks with a smirk. _

_"That I'm sneaking into clubs with the older Mikaelson" she says and comes closer to him. _  
_Klaus chuckles "Then we shouldn't be standing here in the middle of the street where anyone can see us"_

_She giggles as he swiftly makes his way to the back door, he knocks on it and the big man there gives him a look but Klaus is nothing short but smooth and Caroline doesn't miss the small amount of folded_ _greens that he leaves in the man's hand as they shake it._

The man smiles at Caroline and moves so they can come in.

_"Keep her away from the bar Klaus, she's barely 17" the man says and Caroline awkwardly smiles at him._  
_And then she's glued to Klaus' back, his hand is keeping hers safe in his as they make their way through the dressing area, the kitchen and she grins listening to the loud music now._

_This is what she likes the most and her eyes sparkle when she sees the woman singing up there on the big stage.  
Klaus is shaking hands and being tapped on the back by almost everyone inside._

_Caroline is used to it by now, she knows that half this town knows Klaus and his brothers. _  
_He faces her and she smiles at him "One day, that will be me" she points at the stage._

_Klaus doesn't bother looking there "I know" he simply says and she loves that in him._  
_She laces her arms around his neck and kisses him, she finds it harder to love him more or to be happier than she has been for the last months._

_"Stop smooching and join the party"_  
_They break the kiss recognizing the joyful voice._

_It's Stefan and he is dancing with some brunet._  
_Klaus strokes Caroline's cheek and steals another kiss from her, then he pulls her along the crowd and they join Stefan._

_It's easy to lose track and they spend another night dancing and laughing._  
_She knows she will need another good excuse to give her mother as to why her feet are full of blisters again but she doesn't care about that tonight._

_She shakes that ruffled dress Klaus gave her like there's no tomorrow and he is right there, twirling her around, dipping her at the same time Stefan does it with his brunet._

* * *

Caroline looks down on her lap, she has no idea why all these memories are coming back but they are stronger than ever and she looks out her window.

"Do you wish to go?" The driver asks her again and she gulps down.  
"No..." she gently says and takes off her heavy coat "I'll be staying here, you can go John" she tells him with a smile.

"But Miss Forbes, are you asking me to leave you here?" he's surprised and worried.  
She smiles and nods, she takes off her heavy, expensive jewellery and only leaves her head-piece.

"Don't worry, I know the family and they will drive me home when I'm done" she says and opens the door to her car, it's freezing outside but she wants to leave her new glamorous life inside the car.

John isn't too convinced about this but she is the one paying him the huge pay at the end of the month so he does as she demands of him and slowly drives away.

Caroline makes her way to the bar, it still makes her smile that Room 31 is a bar and yet almost no one comes here.

It's just a means to what they really do in there, she pushes the door open, happy that they haven't closed early tonight.

She sees why, Klaus is smoking, sitting alone at a table in the back and Elijah is with some man, in a meeting.

They look at her but she ignores the looks, maybe the man even recognized her but she only has eyes for the stunning Mikaelson with the dirty blonde hair and the scruff that she finds irresistible.

She takes a chair and sits across him, he doesn't say a word and she likes the silence, there has been too many words between them.

Elijah ends the meeting and nods politely at her when he goes into his small back office, she listens to the front door close and knows she's alone with Klaus now.

He's still not talking to her, he is taking slow, calm draws of his cigarette and sipping on his strong bootleg like it's water.

Caroline looks down on the table and takes his cigarettes, she lights one for her and takes his drink sipping on it.

Klaus clenches his jaw watching her ways, she's always so confident and taking what is his like it's nothing.

His smokes, his shirt after they make love, his alcohol, his heart.  
He licks his lips when she seductively lets the smoke between her red lips out and then takes another draw from it.

He can see the red in the cigarette and he can see her tongue slowly tracing her bottom lip before she takes his drink into her lips again.

"Are you going to sit there all night or you intend to kiss me Niklaus?" she asks him in a sweet soft voice.

He could try to resist her or even pretend any of it but he's fast and he is kissing her before she takes another draw from his cigarette.

And his hands are on her back pressing her to him and then she's out of her chair, it falls to the floor hastily and he sits her on the table.

Caroline's legs are fast around him and he is kissing her deeply and she's answering him because she felt nothing when she was kissing Matt earlier.

But she sure feels it now and she pulls his hair and she moans because Klaus tongue is swift and powerful against hers.

And his hands are hot and strong on her body, her legs and she doesn't mind at all that her dress is showing now a lot more than a woman of her status should.

Klaus hand is cupping her face and she realizes how much she has missed the way he does everything in life.  
How passionate and intense he is.

"Nik..." she moans when he breaks the kiss and they are both out of breath and facing each other.  
"Your brother is in the next room..." she says finally realizing they are about to claim each other right here, on top of a table in his dark bar.

Klaus knows he is supposed to say something but his brain is not kind to him now.

She smiles and he is so lost in her.  
"Why are you here?" his brain finally decides to function.

"I need to talk to you... but not in here" she tells him softly.  
He squints at her.

"Take me home..." she looks down from his intense blue eyes "I have something important to tell you... to show you" she says licking her lips.

Klaus knows Caroline too well, she has something vital to tell him and he needs to know what it is.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Mercy - _Duffy_


	5. Break my heart gently

Caroline is shaking when she steps out of his car, she can feel her heart in her mouth and she knows that this will not be easy but he has the right to know.

She keeps thinking this when she walks to her front door, she expects everyone to be sleeping and finds her mother dozing off in the couch.

She places her finger to her lips so that he is quiet and Klaus does as she asks, intrigued with what she has to show him at her big house.

He follows her to the rooms and knows that there is something big on the other side of this door, he can tell by the way she is frozen.

But Klaus isn't afraid of anything and he places his hand over hers on the doorknob, she looks at him slowly and opens her mouth to talk a few times, stopping every time to form words that won't come because nothing is good enough to prepare him.

His hand is strong on hers as he twists the knob to the bedroom that he is certain it does not belong to her and then he is the one frozen, not sure of what is going on.

He sees the small boy lying on the bed, resting his head on his hands reading a book and he squints recognizing the kid.

"Mommy, you are home" Dominic notices and grinning slides from bed and runs to her.  
"Hey pumpkin…" she whispers because she really can't speak, her racing heart doesn't allow it.

Dominic closes his eyes lacing his chubby little arms around her legs, he loves the way his mother smells but then he notices the man standing quietly there and squints at him.  
"I know you..." he says remembering the man from before.

Caroline shots her head to Klaus but he isn't looking at her, he is staring at Dominic and she can see all the questions racing through his mind, his eyes as he takes in the suspicious little blonde stepping away from his mother's legs and looking at him like a little man.

* * *

Bonnie watches Kol get dressed; he buttons his shirt and gives her a smile.

"Do you really have to go?" she asks without giving much importance to her needy ways.  
She had the best night of her life and she's finding it hard that it's coming to an end so fast, she was hoping he would at least spend the night.

"Yes, my brother Elijah is waiting for me" He says tugging his shirt inside the pants.  
It's a sad face that she gives him but she still hopes that he doesn't see it.

"Ok…" she says and reaches for her silk robe.  
The only expensive thing she owns.

He liked it better when she was in bed naked covered by the sheet but the sexy short robe graces her body perfectly as well and he curses that he has to work tonight.

Bonnie walks him to her door and grabs his hat on the way, it's a really small walk because the room is tiny.  
He opens the door and then looks at her.

"I'll stop by the Mill tomorrow" he says easily.  
Bonnie nods, she likes that she will get to see him again.

Kol leans over and cups her cheek; he leaves her with a deep, long kiss and takes the hat from her hands.

He wanders his eyes through the petite woman and loves that he can see her perfect curves through the thin fabric, the thoughts they bring him will be enough to keep him entertained for the rest of the long night that awaits him.

He kisses her again and walks down the hall with a genuine happy smile on his lips.  
Bonnie leans over her door watching him leave and licks her bottom lip; she loves the way he kisses her and she flashes a huge smile to the nosy neighbor peaking from her door with the hair roles on.

Bonnie even waves her fingers at the woman making her close the door hastily.  
She knows she will be the talk of the building and the judging target from now on but she lies on her bed looking at the old ceiling and brings the sheets closer to her and then she smiles because they smell like him.

Who cares about gossip when you just been with Kol Mikaelson?

* * *

"Who are you? The little boy asks me with eager eyes.

It takes me a few seconds to acknowledge that I should answer him.  
"I remember you from this morning, are you friends with my mom?" he asks me again seeking an answer that stumbles its way out of me.

"Yes"  
He looks suspicious at me, moves further away from the woman frozen next to me and eyes me with big blue piercing eyes "How come I never met you before?"

I know that I look like a crazy man; my eyebrows are pulled so hard together that they hurt my forehead, but my thoughts are racing inside my head.

And they take over my body, I go down on one knee and my hands are moving to the blonde boy that looks at me a bit scared, I try to be gentle as I take his arms, not wanting to hurt him.  
"How old are you?"

These are the only words that I manage to get out from the huge turmoil that ignites inside of me.  
"10" the boy says looking at me with these huge eyes.

I recognize his mother in them and I recognize someone else, I force myself to smile but I can't.  
There's something on my eye and I shake my head to get rid of it.

"Why are you crying?" he asks me with a sweet voice and moves his chubby little finger to touch my cheek trapping the single tear that I had no idea was there.

"Who is your father Dominic?" I ask surprised that I remember the full name of the boy and I feel Caroline tense beside me.

"I didn't know him, he died before I was born" he tells me with a sad face and my heart begins to bleed inside my tight chest.

I lick my lips because they are too dry and everything is such a mess inside of me.  
"Did you know him?" he asks with a sparkle of hope in his expressive eyes.

I smile and it finally shows in my face, I stroke his soft cheek and his blonde long hair "No… I don't think I did"  
He looks up at his mother and frowns "Why is everyone crying?"

The question hits everyone hard and I order my hands to let go of his warm arms.  
I leave the room fast, rush to the front door happy that tonight there is a strong cold wind that cuts right through my bones.

She's running after me, I can hear her calling my name but I don't stop.  
My feet are swift taking me away from the deceiving demon; the sound of her heels ceases and I hope that she has given up but my torment shows up in front of me with her shoes in her hands and with a racing breath.

"Nik… please, let me explain" she begs me.  
I want to laugh or slap her, it's a very close battle between both and I decide to walk away unable to choose between them.

"Niklaus…" she begs in that sweet voice that has been my doom for so many years.  
I want to get away from her as fast as I can but I also want answers, answers that she owes me so I turn to face her.

"How could you keep this from me?" I ask with my anger taking over the first shock.  
"I didn't have a choice" she says and now I really want to use my gun on her.

"For ten years, you've kept this secret from me Caroline" I hiss and I wonder if I'm strong enough to shoot her and leave her for dead.

"I found out I was pregnant the day you got shot… and then you wanted me to leave with you and I was scared. I didn't know what to do" she starts crying and I can't be moved this time.

"Why didn't you tell me?" I ask but when she flinches I realize I was shouting.  
"Because I didn't want this for our son" she simply says between two huge tears streaming down her flawless ivory face.

And I'm fighting my tears as well because of her words, the way it all becomes suddenly real and I walk away.

I can listen to her crying and calling after me but I don't stop this time, not because I'm still angry enough to kill her but because I know I will never lay a finger on her, because I love her too much for my own good.

* * *

When Kol arrives to the abandoned building he knows he is late but he doesn't care about the shady looks the men give him.

They are upset that they have unloaded one of the trucks already, he smirks because he is in a good mood and goes to help with the second load.  
"You're late" Elijah says counting the bottles on the box that Jeremy is holding.

"I was busy" Kol says and takes the hand of the broad man inside the truck helping him in there.  
"Finally got some action from that hot doll that works down on the Mill?" One of the men asks laughing.

Kol recognizes the impressed tone to him but quickly lies.  
"She's playing hard to get so I moved on" he says and picks a box handing it to Jeremy that looks sad about the news.

"I didn't take my brother to be the quitting type" Elijah says scribbling on his precious books.  
Kol looks at him and there is a smile on Elijah's lips that tells Kol how he is on to him.

Kol grimaces because it's hard to keep a secret when they are all so close.  
"She doesn't want to be a Moll" Kol shrugs knowing that he is only able to fool the rest of them not his big brother.

Jeremy seems to be the one taking it harder "I liked Bonnie, she was nice to us"  
"And she will still be nice and the Green Mill will still be there tomorrow but this bootleg isn't being unloaded on it's on" Kol says and drops the next box.

Jeremy gasps and falls to the ground catching the box in time, everyone starts laughing and no one is laughing louder than Kol.  
"Nice reflexes kid" he teases a still shaking Jeremy.

"Do you know how much money you are playing with?" Elijah takes the box from the poor kid only now getting up.  
Kol watches Elijah with a smirk "Lighten up Elijah… I think you are the one in need of a nice dame"

Elijah gives his reckless brother a stern look "I will not reply to that, some issues are supposed to be private"

"I'm not asking for details, I'm just suggesting a nice night with a fine hotsie and you'll be hitting on all sixes and maybe you won't be such a wet blanket all the time" Kol spikes his brother with his malice laughter.

Elijah sighs "You slay me Kol"  
Kol laughs hard and everyone follows his lead, he is the funny guy and the truth is that Elijah can be pretty intense sometimes.

Which is about to be a great example when the driver leaves his seat and comes around the back smoking with a strange jittery.  
"Will you still be long?"

Kol smiles at him "In a hurry to go back home to the old lady?"  
He fretfully laughs "Yeah… new wife… you know how that can be demanding"

"I wouldn't…" Kol says squinting; he knows the business too well to know the driver is hiding something important.  
Elijah meets his gaze thinking the same and resumes counting the bottles left.

Jeremy is sweating already when he takes the last one and Elijah frowns, he looks at Kol and his brother comes down from the truck fast.  
Elijah counts the last bottles twice.

"Are we done? I really have to go" The driver says inhaling a lot more smoke than he wants.  
"We are missing two bottles" Elijah says looking at the nervous man.

"I swear I didn't touch them, you probably counted them wrong" the driver says and everyone else knows what a huge mistake he just made.

Elijah hands Kol the books and nods at the men closer to the driver, they easily hold him down for Elijah that pulls his gun from inside his smooth long coat.

"I don't enjoy being called a liar or that a cheap caper tries to steal from us" he says and the man knows he is done doing business in this town over two lousy bottles that he drank on the way.  
"Please… I wasn't thinking" the driver starts begging for his life.

"How will you pay us back that money?" Elijah asks easily.  
The driver knows he owes him a good answer or a good bargain "Take my truck"

"What use to I have with a truck?" Elijah asks annoyed.  
"I don't have anything else" The man says and Elijah senses the honesty in him.

He nods and the men drag him away, he will be alive after tonight but he won't be walking home.

It's close to morning when the brothers arrive to Room 21 with Jeremy and the other men already getting the new load ready to be distributed around the speakeasy places in town.

Kol needs the coffee to stay awake, he still has a long day ahead of him before he sees the warmth of his empty big bed, he walks inside the bar thinking that he wouldn't mind sneaking back to Bonnie's.  
Her warm small body would feel like heaven against his cold one.

Elijah is also lost in numbers and money that they probably will never spend but Chicago is changing, he has been around for a long time and he knows that the city is changing, there is too much money going around from hand to hand and some of the hands are sweaty, wet, untrusting and then there's this new fever.

Everyone is spending money they have and the one they don't have on the new stocks business.  
Elijah loves his numbers too much to trust the ones that are constantly changing, numbers are too precise and they should never be worth more than what's written on a green bill.

Both brothers almost miss the third one sitting in the dark, alone in a table smoking and drinking.  
Klaus brooding mood shouldn't be a surprise for them but their bond as a family is too strong, bigger than any words and both Elijah and Kol take their coffee to the table joining the silent one.

"We won a truck tonight" Kol says but gets no reaction from the blonde staring at the yellow beverage inside his glass.  
"What happened Niklaus?" Elijah asks with concern.

"I have a son" he says and his brothers think they heard wrong, their confusion takes over the shock that should be on their faces.

Klaus takes a long, slow draw from his cigarette "I have a ten-year old son with Caroline"

And then the shock hits them, Kol takes the bottle on the table and fills his cup, mixing the strong beverage with his coffee.

Elijah urges him to do the same with his coffee by reaching out his big mug.  
All three of them sit there drinking in silence, mostly because neither of them knows what to say.

* * *

Caroline pushes the hat down on her face; the black hat with the red rose on the side is a match to how she feels today, black inside and she knows she was heavy on her blush and eyeliner today but she spent hours crying and she looked a mess when she left the house.

She taps her black shoes on the floor; she's impatient and finally sees Stefan rushing down the street to the deserted old park where she has met him for the last seven months.

No one comes here anymore, only the old couples that still remember what this park used to be, the tears make another threatening demand because Caroline remembers this is the place where Klaus kissed her for the first time.

Stefan smiles at her and takes off his beige hat, twirling it in his hand, he looks happy.  
"Your violets are the best, the DA is building quite the case against Matt and Tyler" he says with that dashing smile of his.

Caroline shakes her head "I'm done Stefan… whatever you have, will have to do because I'm not doing this anymore"

Stefan isn't happy "You can't walk away now, I need you in there. He trusts you and you can go in and out of the Club easily without any suspicion"  
"Alaric is already on to me and besides… with Nik back in town I can't do this"

"What's Nik have to do with this?"  
Stefan looks confused and she snaps.

"The only reason Matt lets me walk so easily around the Club is because he wants me and I've strung him along for six months now but he won't wait forever and there are limits that I won't cross Stefan"

"So he wants to sleep with you, I'm not asking you to feel anything just to keep him interested enough so that he doesn't suspect that you are handing us all the information about his side business with the girls he brings from the country side"

Caroline feels that it's all just too much, she can't focus on this now.  
Not when she just told Klaus that he is a father.

"I can't do this… I'm sorry Stefan but I'm out" she says and walks away but Stefan grabs her arm.  
"You can't"

She looks at him mad and frees her arm "I accepted to do this because Matt had a crush on me and it was easy to get his attention but I never said I would sleep with him so that you can have your big promotion"

"You know that's not why I'm doing this. Damon is locked inside a cell for something he didn't do and I was targeted with a bullet because we were getting too close to Matt's father"

"But it wasn't you who caught that bullet was it?" she says between her clenched teeth.  
Stefan looks down from her accusing eyes.

"I almost lost Nik that day and my son almost lost a father he didn't know until last night"  
Stefan looks up at her "So you told him?"

"He will never forgive me for keeping this from him but I was scared of dragging a baby into all this mess…" she says smearing her perfect make-up.

"We are so close to getting them Caroline" Stefan tries one last time.

"I can't do this with Nik here, I can't kiss another man when all I want is to run to Nik and be with him. I have to think of Dominic as well, until now I helped you because I didn't have a choice but there might be a chance for me now if Nik forgives what I did"

Stefan clasps the side of his top hat in his hand mad as she hurries away, she is crucial to his plan to take down the ones that took his brother away from him.

* * *

Matt is stroking the chin of one of the dancers, she's pretty and he can't remember if she has been to his office yet.

She flirts with him and gives him a pretty smile but he sees his Goddess walk in and looks at the silly dancer wearing sparkling underwear and a robe "Scram" he orders and she pouts but knows they don't stand a chance against the Club's Queen.

Caroline smiles at the girl oblivious to everything and removes her coat, the black dress with the red belt looks perfect on her and she walks towards the private table where Matt is undressing her with his eyes.

She smiles and sits next to him "Hey"  
Matt melts at her smoothness "Hey doll… you look outstanding tonight"

"Thank you" she simply says and he knows there's something on her mind.  
"What's eating you up doll?" he asks frowning.

She forces a kind smile "I need to talk to you tonight after the show"  
Matt smiles "Sure doll… come find me at the office"

She nods and quickly gets away, she is still building the courage to tell him that she doesn't want to be his girl anymore.  
To give him hopes of something that won't happen.

She is lost in her thoughts closing the door to her dressing room, she has to get ready for the show and she drops her coat on the couch, takes her hat off and fixes her short waves when she looks at the mirror and startles, there's someone in here.

"Alaric… you scared me" she says with her hand over her racing heart.  
He smiles a dark and scary smile and comes near her "My boss is smitten by your good looks but you don't fool me"

She shakes her head "This is silly talk Alaric, I need you to leave, I have to get ready"  
Alaric comes dangerously close to her and she tries to not show fear.

"I followed you last night" he says and she is about to collapse to the floor.  
"So?" she tries desperately to keep her strong face.

"You and that Mikaelson waste eating each other on top of a table inside his joint..."  
She gulps down at his words but keeps her game face on "You don't know what you saw"

Alaric smiles and moves his hand cupping her face and she shivers with repulse at his touch "My boss is too young, he thinks he has the hang of things but he's just a kid playing gangsters. I would have stripped you out of those pretty dresses a long time ago but he keeps letting you play him and that's fine by me. While he is busy trying to take your stockings off, I am collecting secrets and I will use them when the time comes"

Caroline looks at him so lost that it makes him smile "I don't care which one you make happy as long as there's something in it for me"  
"You want money?" she asks confused.

"I want Matt's place. Tyler is about to take him out, Matt has underestimated him and he's been pushed around and humiliated by Matt for far too long and I will look away when he finally puts a silver one between his eyes" Alaric says coldly.

"What do you want from me?" She asks in a whisper.  
Alaric smiles because she is smart and he likes that in her "I need you to keep feeding your detective friend, while he is busy with Matt he isn't looking at me and Tyler"

Caroline gasps with how much Alaric knows but she doesn't see what's coming next not even in her worst nightmares.

"Now... if you don't play along the silver that was meant for Stefan will be really for Klaus and I assure you that I won't miss this time"

Alaric says and lets her face go, he smiles certain that he has Caroline right where he wants.  
She covers her mouth letting the tears fall hard, she has no idea what to do now.

* * *

The show is slow and she focus on sad songs tonight, she isn't in the mood for big dances and her audience is so loyal that they all praise her blue mood tonight.

She doesn't see Klaus in the Club tonight and her heart syncs with every note she flawlessly lets out to the sound of the sad piano.

* * *

Bonnie easily flirts with the group of boys that want to buy her for the night, she should be offended by their offer but she drinks gin and makes them buy the bottle instead.

She gets a big tip and smiles happy, she puts it away with a grin but she grimaces because she sees the man she has hoped to see all night but he is dancing slowly with some pretty girl, Bonnie should be expecting it from a man like Kol but it still stings in her chest that he is making his way into another bed so soon after her.

She looks away and tries to stay distracted for the rest of the hour she still has to work before she can leave.  
She doesn't see them anymore when she finishes her shift and makes her way home.

It's a really cold night and she blames her aching heart on the Chicago weather.

Her short dress is too short for the cold night and she pushes the cheap coat closer to her body, if only she had more tips like the one she got tonight, she would be able to pay her rent and still have enough money to buy a decent coat, she could ignore the food, she already does most nights.

It's a short walk home and she's grateful that at least she got a room close to the Club; she keeps her hands inside her coat hoping they don't fall off from the cold and rushes up the old stairs.

She sees the nosy neighbor keeping track of her arriving hours and goes to her door but the man waiting for her makes her skip a beat.

Kol is waiting for her by her door and she slows down her pace "What are you doing here?"  
"Waiting for you" he easily says.

Bonnie barely manages to stick the key inside her door because she is shivering, from the cold but also with the way her body is reacting to him.

"The sweet legs from the Club left you hanging?" she says finally managing to open the door.  
He closes the door behind him with a smirk "It was just a dance Bonnie"

She scorns his words with a roll of her green eyes and clasps her hands trying to warm herself "I couldn't care less..."

He smiles and grows closer to her, she isn't that cold anymore when he touches her face "It's not a good idea that others find out about us"

The word _us _in a sentence used by Kol leaves her dizzy.  
"Why?" she can't resist it.

"I'm not a very nice guy" he says and takes her lips into his.  
She kisses him with that dangerous sign hovering over her but she can't deny that's what's so exciting about Kol, she always felt attracted to the idea of being a moll, the gangster's girl.

She only feels hot now when he takes her coat off and his fingers skillfully remove the dress from her body.  
She can't remember anymore why she was upset because she is soon moaning his name again under him in her small bed.

* * *

Caroline is happy that her night is finally over and even forgets to go see Matt in his office, she just wants to go home and cry in her bed alone.

She is waiting for John to bring the car around when the tall man crosses the street, she gulps down recognizing him in the dark suit.

Klaus stops in front of her demanding so many things that she can't give him, specially now.  
"I asked you to come with me; I was willing to leave this life for you. I would have done it twice as happy for him" he says quietly like the evil that hides in the dark.

"You can't leave this life, it's part of who you are"  
"I would do anything for you Caroline"

She swallows her tears "I have to think of him, I only told you about Dominic because I owed you that but…" She sees her car pull over and faces him to say the last deadly words "I don't want you in his life, I don't want Dominic to grow up like… you"

It takes every ounce of strength to keep her face straight as she says the words that are hurting him more than a knife pushed to his chest.

Klaus doesn't say anything, he can't even grasp around what she just told him, he only feels the pain taking over, that she finally saw what he really is and how poisonous his entire family is.

She looks away and leaves, she closes the door to the car already sobbing.  
"Drive" she manages to tell John and cries helplessly all the way home.

She doesn't dare to look behind her at the man standing there with a shattered heart.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Come away with me – _Norah Jones _**  
**As time goes by – _Billie Holiday_


	6. The Chicago way

I bring the sheet up her body, I can tell she's cold now that I have left the bed, I look around the ridiculous small apartment, my room is bigger than this entire place she calls home.

She doesn't have many things and I look around a little while I get dressed.  
There's a picture on the broken mirror and I recognize a young Bonnie with a beautiful woman, I deduce that it is her Gran, the only relative she has left back in her small town.

I grab a cover lying around and place it over her; I'm smiling looking at the stunning woman sleeping curled up in her small bed.

I never spent a full night with a woman before Bonnie, I always find my way out of the door before they even fall asleep but Bonnie somehow makes it hard for me to leave her.

I love how her small body feels against mine when she's sleeping against me and I find it hard to leave her tonight more than the other times.

I kiss her cheek and she lets out a loud sigh pulling the sheet closer to her and in that moment I smile even more, I like her, I like her a lot and I never felt anything like this and I sure as hell want to keep feeling it.

I see her ugly neighbor peaking from her door like all other nights and I push the hat lower on my head bowing to the woman, she slams the door shut.

It's a terrible idea that others find out where I spend my nights.  
Away from Room 31 my brothers and I are easy targets at the mercy of every low life that has a beef with us.

I need to do something about this for Bonnie's safety as well.

It's a cold end to a warm night, it must be close to 5am and the city is just waking up.  
Unlike Nik, I really love Chicago, it has a different feel to all the other places I've been to so far.

I like how it's cold and grey and unkind even, it's a lot like me and I know that under all this, sleeps a city that is full of life and unique.

The sleepy kid throws the newspapers in his bike and I steal one as I go down the street, I glance over the same old news but I know Elijah enjoys the paper so I fold it and trap it under my arm.

I clasp my hands and warm them with my breath, it's really cold today and I pull the collar of my coat up to keep my neck away from the icy morning.

My hands find some warmth inside my pockets and when I turn the corner I am lost in thoughts for the exotic beauty that could be warming my chest now.

A group of young girls come my way and they giggle with their school books covering their mouths when I smile at them, Chicago has the most beautiful women as well.

I cross the street and I smirk at Elijah that closes his book with the numbers, I hand him the paper I snatched for him, a poor attempt to stop the comment that comes my way anyway.

"You are late, again" he even adds to make me feel bad.  
But I ignore him and clap my hands, it's just the two of us on the street and I take the chance to talk to him about the idea I have nurtured since I left Bonnie's place with no heating whatsoever.

"Do we still own that place near Caroline's house?"  
Elijah eyes me with the suspicion I expected, we all know where she lives, we just didn't know there was a Nik Junior living with her.

But that's not why Elijah is smiling at me now.  
"Of course we do, I don't turn everything into money like you all believe"

The hardest part is to keep my cool tone when I carry on.  
"I have a new girl and she still lives with her parents, as you can imagine that makes things difficult and I can't take her back to our house"

Elijah nods serious but I know he's on to me "I have the keys somewhere in the office"

I nod and play with that cigarette that I keep in my pocket, I have never smoked and I don't really intend to start but I always carry that one cigarette with me.  
It keeps my mind busy from all the things I keep to myself.

Elijah hates having to wait and I'm not the only one late, the owner of the coffee shop overslept and is rushing down the street now.

The image of the fat man trying to move faster is funny and it takes the attention of the conversation away from me, which makes me happy.

"I'm so sorry, I had car trouble and had to walk for the last blocks" the man says cleaning his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand.

Elijah's face makes me chuckle, he would easily end the man if he wasn't the owner of the place where all coppers and bulls hang out.

He owns the list of the ones that we have under our pay and the dirty secrets of the ones we don't.  
He hits the lights fast and goes around the counter, bringing an envelope with him; he hands it to Elijah and cleans his forehead again.

He is scared of my brother because Elijah knows about his disgusting taste for young girls, too young to be nothing short but a vile crime.

Elijah checks the papers inside, the address and name of the new copper in town so set that he can't be bought but everyone has a price and this new tool has a thing for playing cards and not having enough money to cover his losses.

Elijah will cover his debt and then own the copper that has been sniffing around our necks.  
We're done here and Elijah looks happy, the fat man cleans his forehead nervously "Elijah… I've been really good lately and handed you some pearls… maybe you can throw me a few bills as payment"

"Sure…" Elijah says and looks at me, he nods and I know that it's not even 6am and I'm supposed to beat the audacity out of this fat piker.

The man starts shaking when I come near him and Elijah is by the door already "Don't take long, this joint opens in a few minutes"

But I don't have to do anything, the man is wetting himself afraid of me and I definitely don't want to start my day with replacing Bonnie's sweet perfume on my skin with the sweat and piss from this waste.

Instead I smile at the man "We'll finish this talk later, expect me to show up when you least expect"  
It's enough to scare the man to never sleep properly again, I'm sure of it and join Elijah outside.

"When will I meet this girl you are crushing on?" he asks me and I sigh.  
"Shut your pipe dear brother" I say and walk without looking back at the smiling bastard.

* * *

Klaus comes down to the empty bar and pours black coffee into a glass that is already filled with Scotch, he hasn't slept at all and is finding it hard to endure the rough morning.

There's a sound coming from the back and Jeremy rushes out of the small room they got him in there.

"Good morning Klaus" he happily says and fixes straight coffee that he drinks quickly "I have to rush, I'm meeting Kol at the docks"

Klaus doesn't even acknowledge him and sits by the counter knowing this is the first of many more drinks to come today.  
Jeremy talks some more but Klaus blocks him out and is happy when the kid finally leaves.

After a short while the front door opens and Klaus sighs upset that Jeremy forgot to lock the door.  
"We're closed" he says without looking and hoping that the bothering fella will go away.

"Ummm… I'm not here to drink"  
Klaus freezes his drink half way to his mouth and slowly turns, the little blonde looking at him with a tilted head and his hands stuffed inside his jacket makes Klaus blink.

Maybe he has been drinking for too many years and it's starting to make him insane.  
"Unless you have milk" the boy says and slowly walks to the counter, he sticks the tip of his tongue out for strength and pushes the heavy tall stool.

It takes him a little effort to get on it but Klaus can't even move to help him, he is paralyzed.  
Dominic sighs happy that he managed to get on that tall stool and that he can look at Klaus at the same level.

"What are you doing here Dominic?" Klaus finally snaps out of his shock.  
"Isn't it obvious? I finally figured out who you are" he says with a warm smile.

Klaus gulps down and shaking drops his drink down on the counter "You have?" his voice comes out shaking and weak.  
Dominic eagerly nods "Yes, you were friends with my daddy"

Klaus licks his lips "Friends?"  
"My mom has been always sad when she talked about my daddy but she never cried like she did when you were at the house and you were crying as well so I figured it all out. You were his friend and you remind her of everything that happened"

Klaus has no idea how to handle this, give him a shady business and he can do wonders with it not this.  
"How did you get here?" he asks the boy turning to him.

"I have listen to my mom and my Gran talking about Room 21 so I knew you would be here. My Gran took me to school this morning and I sneaked out" he says with a naughty smile.  
It makes Klaus chuckle, he runs his hand through his hair shaking his head "Sneaky little boy"

Dominic gives him a huge grin "I also started my own business of chocolate like you said, the other kids give me chocolate just to have me talk to them at school"  
"We should keep that away from your mom" Klaus says with a smile.

Dominic giggles.  
"And I should take you back to school or home" Klaus says watching the kid.  
He has big blue eyes and dirty blonde hair and a smile that he doesn't know how to handle.

"If you take me now they will notice that I got away and I will be in trouble" Dominic frowns "Please don't get me in trouble… my mom can be very frightening when she's mad"  
Klaus laughs loudly "I know…"

Dominic smiles hugely "Have you known my mom when she was young?"  
"I met your mother when she was just a few years older than you"

Dominic's eyes are bright and sparkling now "Was she this pretty already?"  
Klaus smile becomes nostalgic and warm "She has always been the most beautiful girl in the world but we should probably keep that between us as well"

"She hates compliments" Dominic says serious.  
"True…" Klaus says finding it too easy to be in a conversation with Dominic but knowing there is no such thing as happiness stored for him "And I really should take you home Dominic, if she finds out you sneaked out from school just to come here, she will be very mad at us"

Dominic grimaces, he clasps his lips and then looks down, Klaus can tell he has something very important to tell him "All my friends have a father, I'm the only one at school that doesn't have one and I wish I had met him before he died… my mom never talks about him, her eyes become all sad and she always rushes away hiding her tears. I know it hurts her to talk about him so I stopped asking… I figured you could tell me about him"

Klaus closes his eyes for a second, he leans over and places his hands on the stool where Dominic is sitting "I'm sure he would be proud of having a little boy like you"  
Dominic dangles his legs and smiles not looking up at Klaus.

Klaus sighs and stands up "Come on, I'll buy you breakfast" he picks the boy up and swiftly drops him on his feet.

Dominic fixes his jacket and watches Klaus grab his hat and his long coat, he smiles and then squints lost in his thoughts, of all the men he knows, Klaus is the perfect man to imagine as his father.

No one ever measured to him and he hates Matt, he only came by the house once and he hated the annoyed look he gave him.

But Klaus is different, he looks exactly how he wants to be when he grows up and he likes the way he doesn't treat him like a child, plus he isn't oblivious to the way his mother and Klaus talk about each other and before he leaves Room 21 with Klaus he sneakily grabs his big strong hand and smiles looking up at him.

The white shade in Klaus' face makes him giggle.

* * *

Caroline ends her rehearsal and lingers a little more on the stage, she looks around and for the first time since she got this job, she wonders if it's all worth it.  
The fame, the money that provides Dominic with a good life…

A life she could have with Klaus, money was never an issue with him and she knows how passionate Klaus is about protecting the ones he loves, she runs her fingers through the piano keys and smiles at the band that starts whistling at Bonnie when she goes by their table.

She is a flirt and a tease and twirls around making her short dress shine under the dim lights that grace them.  
One of the trumpet players starts a smooth tune and the other two join him, Bonnie is dancing her way to Caroline that is sitting by the piano.

Bonnie easily scoops herself on top of the piano ignoring the ranting gestures from its player sitting with the others at the table.  
"You are very happy today" Caroline says stroking the keys without playing them.

Bonnie smiles and starts playing with her fake pearls necklace "I'm seeing someone…"  
Caroline presses her fingers down on two keys and a sound joins her wiggling eyebrows "I bet he has hazel eyes and is a great kisser"

Bonnie licks her deep red lipstick "Did you and Kol had something in the past? You didn't tell me"  
Caroline starts playing the only two runs she knows on a piano.

"One day I was so desperate to get Nik's attention that I convinced Kol to take me out on a date. He kissed me at the end of the night and said that Nik was watching and that this would make Nik kiss me in a way that would erase all the lips that had ever touched mine. He was right" Caroline says with nostalgia.

Bonnie smiles and twirls her finger around the necklace "Kol is amazing... I really like him"  
The tone of wonder in Bonnie's voice makes Caroline laugh; Kol has that effect on every woman he gives attention to.

The bouncer comes to them with a big package and both girls assume it is another admirer gift for Caroline but the man hands the box to Bonnie instead.  
She frowns surprised "What?"

"Someone just left this for you" he says amused.  
The band stops playing and starts making cheer sounds and move to the stage, Caroline closes the piano and rests her elbows on it, she can bet who sent the package and smiles.

Bonnie blushes with everyone surrounding her and slowly removes the red bow from it, she gasps and widens her eyes.  
"That's shiny" one of the men lets out.

"Bonnie has a new boyfriend and he is loaded" The bouncer teases the petite woman.  
Bonnie looks at Caroline "It can't be him"

Caroline smirks and tilts her head without answering.  
Bonnie feels her heart race and grabs the single red rose on top of the really beautiful and obviously expensive coat.

She takes it out and unfolds the item slowly, she smiles because she loves it so much and brings it close to her face, it is warm and soft to the touch and she quickly comes down from the piano and tries her new coat.

"It looks perfect on you Bon" Caroline says and stands up.  
Bonnie smiles and brings that rose closer to her nose, she is officially a Moll.

She's Kol's girl now.

* * *

Matt is waiting for Caroline in her dressing room which makes her smile nervously at him "Hey Matt"

Matt stands up from the couch in there "You didn't come see me the other night Doll… what happened?"  
Caroline touches her diamond bracelet "I was tired and went home… sorry"

"It's alright, I just feel you are a little colder than usual"  
Caroline shakes her head "Don't be silly Matt, it's just been a lot of shows and I've been thinking that I need a little break, vacation sounds perfect right now"

Matt smiles and comes near her, he cups her cheek with his big hand "I'm not letting you go anywhere alone"  
She is serious and doesn't enjoy the innuendo in his words "I'm free to do whatever I want Matt"

He laughs but it is a dry laughter "You are my property Caroline"  
She scolds him mad and presses her eyebrows together "I am no one's property"

"You belong to this Club and the fact that I haven't claimed my right over you is only because deep inside I like the little game we have going on but…" he strokes her hair slowly and then when she tries to get away from his hold, he grabs her neck hard, his thumb pressed to her cheek "… I'm getting tired and I would love to know what Alaric was doing in here the other night with you"

Caroline's throat becomes dry and she can't gulp down without making a loud noise "He was just being him… annoying and suspicious of something I'm innocent"

Matt brings her face closer to him and doesn't even budge when she grabs his hand mad that he is forcing this on her "I know that he probably is right but I really like you Caroline"

"Maybe you should focus on getting a new bodyguard because Alaric is not what he seems" she says between clenched teeth.

"He used to work for my father and I know that he doesn't respect me as much as he respected my old man but I don't care. I'm stringing him along with Tyler, giving them rope to hang themselves. The quiet mouse is always the one that get's the cheese"

Caroline doesn't say anything now, she knows that Matt is suspicious of her, until now she never once doubted she could do this but everything seems about to change, she can feel it.

Matt presses his lips to hers forcefully and she tries to push him away but he doesn't allow her, he forces his tongue inside her mouth and she wants to cry because she hates the way he is forcing this kiss on her.

He lets her mouth go when he's done kissing her "I've been a very good lamb until now Caroline but you will not go around tainting my image, I know you have been scrubbing with that Mikaelson fella"

She holds her tears and eyes him with hate for the side he is showing her now.  
"End it now" he says with a whole new menacing tone to him unknown to her before and leaves.

She sits by her dressing table and looks in the mirror, the black eyeliner is smeared with the first tears, the red lipstick is tarnished from Matt's eagerness and for the first time Caroline feels dirty for what she's doing.

She's in the middle of a mess and Matt is closing the circle around her, she closes her eyes and thinks of him.

The man who never forced her into anything, that always placed her first and that she harmed with her awful words.

She looks at the reflection in the mirror and remembers the girl who gave herself to him knowing she would never belong to anyone else and she hates herself for falling into Stefan's crazy revenge plans.

Caroline knows she needs a way out of this and she never felt as alone as she feels now staring at the smeared image of her.

She cleans the lipstick and her eyes and pulls from that strength, she is not weak, she is the girl who Niklaus Mikaelson chose for himself a long time ago and she is his demon with the red lips.

She looks flawless when she's done and she doesn't have a plan yet but she has that fire to fight Matt, Alaric or anyone that comes at her.

She didn't die when Klaus left, if she survived that carrying a child and a broken heart, she can very well do this.

She changes her dress into a fiery red piece so short that she can see her stockings wanting to make a complete appearance, she fixes her hair with a red comb and walks on that stage like she's about to walk inside Klaus' room.

She smolders her way into the songs and dances just enough to make a few married men spill their drinks and their harmony at home with their boring wives.

She flirts with the band that is pleased with her fire tonight and she locks her eyes with Matt, he raises his drink to her and she smiles, if he wants her, he will have to force a lot more than a kiss on her and she will shoot him down like the dog he is if he even tries it because she belongs to one man only and that man just walked inside the club, avoiding the stage and then she is mad at him.

No matter how loud the cheers are, he just drinks and ignores her.  
Caroline ends her performance and thanks the flowers she gets and the heated compliments, the sweaty shaking hands that want to touch hers and she takes it all in, yes, this is all worth it but she can't take her eyes from the man with his back on her, on all the commotion going on.

She smiles and refuses another proposal of marriage from a fan and finally gets free and struts to the counter.  
She asks for a cold gin "I didn't expect you to come back here"

He doesn't answer her, he takes his drink calmly and keeps his eyes in front of him.  
Caroline tastes her gin and reaches for his cigarettes openly challenging him and yet he doesn't move, his jaw clenches but that's about it.

The man behind the counter happily lights it for her and she takes a long draw from it and sits on the stool, she crosses her legs and her stockings are showing all the way, he gives her a side look.

She smiles drinking and smoking, she twirls her foot and touches her red lips "How long will you be mad at me?"

He turns his head to her "I'm not good enough for you and our son, it doesn't matter if I stay mad at you forever"

Caroline smiles through the smoke and leans over dropping her cigarette inside his glass, Klaus looks at her stunned.

"Meet me outside" she whispers and leaves the bar area.

It takes him long enough and she is starting to believe he won't show but he slowly steps outside, closing the back door and shoving his hands inside the pockets of his pants.

Caroline warms her naked arms and takes a deep breath "There's a lot you don't know"  
"Obviously"

She hates his cold tone but she was expecting it "I'm in trouble" she says and her voice isn't as confident as before.

Klaus doesn't want to but he reacts to her words, she may have stepped over his heart with her high heels but she still owns it.

"What happened?" he asks and she feels warm because he gives her that confidence she needs.  
Safety that she has only known in his arms.

"Stefan was building a case against Matt's dad; he thinks it was Matt's dad that forged that murder accusation that led Damon to prison. He came to find me because I was singing in small clubs and struggling to get food on the table for Dominic, they were opening auditions at the Mill and Stefan got me inside. Matt was drooling over me half way through my song and Stefan used that, he recruited me to spy for him and handle him information, it was supposed to be just for a few months. Then Matt's dad died and he started a business with Tyler Lockwood and Stefan kept asking me to stay and I did"

Klaus clenches his teeth mad and she knows that Stefan is going to have a black eye in the morning but she doesn't care, she is done playing this game for others.  
She has nothing to lose, she has lost all she wanted.

"Alaric knows that I'm feeding orchids to Stefan and he threaten me, he was the one that tried to kill Stefan and shot you instead" she says stroking her arms.

Klaus takes off his coat, he goes to Caroline and places it on her shoulders, he lingers his hands on her arms and she rests her hands on his chest slowly looking at him.

"That's why I said those hurtful things to you, I was afraid he would hurt you if I was seen with you but… Matt is on to me as well and I can't do this anymore... I can't be with another man because I still love you Nik"

And with these words Klaus cups her cheek and strokes it slowly, finds her eyes and believes every word she said tonight because she has no reason to lie to him.  
"If I ask you this time to leave with me Caroline, would you and Dominic go?"

She smiles and gets closer to him, finds his neck with her warm hands and nods "Yes, I will go with you and start a new life with our son"

Klaus scans her face and smiles, he has missed his demon in his arms like this "I never stopped loving you Caroline"

Her breath comes out harshly, she rests her big eyes on his perfect lips and grows closer to him, wanting him to kiss her but there's a noise that startles them both.

They look at the door and Alaric is standing there with a smug smile "Isn't this just sweet"  
Klaus moves and stands in front of Caroline "Go inside Caroline"

She is shaking her head but he can't see her, she touches his arm "Nik…"  
"Now Caroline" he says without looking at her and she slowly does what he asks of her, handing him his heavy coat back.

She gives Alaric a vicious look and goes inside, he laughs amused at Klaus.  
"My boss is going to love this"

Klaus smiles "Your boss will never find out, at least not from you"  
Alaric pulls his gun out "How much are you paying me to stay quiet?"

"A bullet"  
Klaus simply says and the sound of his firing gun is muffled by the coat that he is holding.

Alaric staggers and looks down on his belly, red blood dripping to the ground and falls to his knees, he raises his gun but Klaus is there to kick it away from his hand, he shoots him again in the chest and watches the man fall down on his face.

"That's for threatening my woman" he hisses down on the dead man.

Klaus looks around and no one is at sight, he drags the man quickly to the back alley and leaves him there, rushing inside the Club, he folds his coat and casually wears it under his arm.

"What happened?" Caroline is waiting for him in the area that leads to the bathrooms.  
He cups her face and kisses her, a deep passionate kiss that makes her clutch his shirt and answer his kiss with a moan.

Klaus runs his tongue over hers slowly and she wishes they had a bed to fully indulge in old memories that are bound to resurface.

He smiles happy with the way she seems so out of breath and kisses her red lips, the tip of his tongue tastes her bottom lip slowly and Caroline tilts her head so he can kiss her properly again.

"Some things never change"

The voice pulls them both away from the heated kiss and they are both bewildered to find the blonde with perfect hair, a glass of gin in her hand and the expensive pearls that go around her neck twice over the white dress.

Klaus smiles and goes over to her, he kisses her cheek sweetly "Welcome back little sister"  
"Oh don't stop over me, I always loved watching you two, I've learned so much from it" she says in that cheeky way of hers.

Klaus strokes her arm as he leaves and looks back at Caroline "I need to go find Kol, we have a rat to toss in the river"

She smiles at her big brother and then faces the other blonde "How about you miss Big shot in the red dress, the black stockings and the usual mouth rape of my brother?"

Caroline laughs and walks to her "Oh I've missed you Bekah"  
Rebekah smiles happy "Then let's go get drunk, dance all night and find me a nice baby face to smooch"

Caroline laces her arm around her old friend "Sounds like you haven't changed either"  
Rebekah finishes her drink before they reach the counter and faces the floor, so many dashing men to choose from.

"Chicago, I'm home now" she warns the city before she takes it by storm.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

At Last – _Etta James_


	7. Take me home

I take a double look to make sure no one seems me, the coast is clear and it's the perfect opportunity.

I get on the ledge and slide swiftly down the staircase, it almost goes wrong when I reach the floor and it makes me laugh, I half-stumble but I manage to land on my feet.  
I'm proud of myself.

There is a sound coming from the kitchen and it makes me smile happy because my mommy is singing and it's not a sad song like always, she is singing a sweet song and I sit by the table watching her.  
She looks happy and so pretty, it's not usual that I see mommy so happy.

She finishes my pancakes but I'm too busy watching her sing to eat, strangely I'm not hungry, my chest is feeling weird and I can't stop smiling.

"Will you give me the honor of this dance?" she asks and I nod with a grin.  
We dance around the kitchen to the sound of the jazzy song she gives us and I do my best to make her proud of what she taught me so far.

She raises my arm and twirls me around and I'm sad that my arms aren't high enough to twirl her around but one day I will be really tall and I will be able to dance properly with my mommy.

We spend the time I have free before going to school dancing and I shake my ass to a faster tune and it makes my mommy laugh, it has been so long since she laughed that I stop dancing and stare at her.

She smiles and kneels down, she strokes my chin and I lace my arms around her, I love how she smells and it's soothing to see her happy.

I'm still smiling waiting for my school ride outside; I'm playing with my ball when I see Bonnie and a man coming my way.

They are so glued together and I don't understand it, it's not that cold today.

Bonnie is k-i-s-s-i-n-g a boy, she is getting married.

They grow closer to me and she gets away from the man, ruffles my hair and pinches my cheeks, I hate that, she's messing with the hair and the dimples.

"I swear you are bigger by the day" she smiles at me.  
I give her a look, she keeps saying that every time she sees me but I'm still too little to go to the Club where mommy sings.

"Are you here to see my mom? She's not at home, she just left"  
Bonnie looks embarrassed and looks at her sweet, I notice now that he is looking strangely at me.

I throw my ball in the air again and catch it under his strict look.  
He crouches in front of me but unlike most grown up's he just smiles at me but not like he is smiling at a kid.

He reminds me of Nik, they both look at me like they are looking at someone special.  
"Do you like baseball?" he asks me casually.

I nod "It's my favorite game, do you like it?"  
He smirks "It's my favorite game in the world. The name is Kol, yours?"

I like him, he's direct and he likes baseball "You can call me Nic"  
My friend's father pulls over and I wave at them, my ride is here and although I want to sneak to Nik's bar and spend the day with him I drag my feet to the car waiting for me.

Nik made me promise I wouldn't lose school days anymore but I found a way to see him again and I think my mommy will do it.

I like being with Nik, he's tall and strong and he has this funny scared look every time I smile.  
It makes me fuzzy inside.

* * *

Stefan parks his car by the house, he twitches his neck to the sides, he spent another night at the office and Katherine will be pissed at him but he has a good reason to have skipped his blissful husband duties yet again.

With Caroline's resistance to help him now, he has very little chances of making this work, his boss is already breathing down on his neck and pushing his Captain boot down on his chest to shut this entire operation down.

He doesn't even notice the car that is waiting for him and he only sees Klaus when he is already a couple of feet away from him.  
"Hey Nik… wha…"

Stefan doesn't finish his question because Klaus fist is hitting him hard on the face.  
He punches him so hard that Stefan feels the blood fill his mouth and he isn't able to dodge Klaus second punch.

Damn, Klaus has always had a mean right hook and Stefan has only been on this blissful end one other time, when he was still working with him and he made a silly remark about Klaus only wanting Caroline for her long legs.

Stefan looks at Klaus and tries to fix a jaw that should be broken from the strength that Klaus put behind his fist.  
"Mind telling me why you just assaulted a copper in the middle of the street?"

Klaus licks his lips upset, hitching to punch his best friend again "You are not a bull to me, you know that. You are like a brother to me and you used Caroline"

Stefan sighs "She's never been able to keep anything from you, not even when you are apart"

"It changes nothing, my life will always be with Caroline and you know that. You used her to make way into a petty vengeance you have with this family and you set her after that Donovan kid"

"She was alone, she needed the money and I needed the orchids" Stefan says but he knows it will only piss Klaus more.

"My brother… not from natural blood but from a lot we have shed together and as soon as I turn my back you decide to pimp my girl"

Stefan shakes his head at Klaus dramatic ways "She never did anything more than kiss the poor fella and I doubt he even saw more than the cleavage she shows at the Club so briskly"

Klaus makes another go at Stefan that backs away and raises his hands "I know that you are mad but you did walk out on her, on everything"

"I had a bullet in my chest, close to my heart and a father that was set on finishing someone else's job. She was supposed to come with me but she never showed up and I left bleeding with a lot more damage than that damn bullet. But even so, you knew Stefan, you knew how much she means to me and you placed her in the middle of everything that this city has of worst"

"I know that you are angry, I deserve it but what if it was Kol? Or Elijah? Imagine how I feel knowing that Damon has been stuck in a prison for 10 years for something he didn't do"

"Fair enough… now you imagine that I take your feisty brunet and push her into another bed that isn't yours"  
Stefan is silent; he doesn't know what to reply.

He met his wife after Klaus noticed Caroline and his story isn't as epic as theirs but he can't imagine his life without Katherine.

She has been by his side in everything and he knows he did wrong by Klaus but what's done is done.  
He doesn't stop Klaus when he punches him again just to let out steam and he licks his internal wounds watching Klaus walk away mad at him.

Not only he lost his informer, he probably lost his other brother just now.  
He comes inside his house and throws the coat into a chair, leaves his gun on the bed stand and watches his wife.

Katherine is sleeping, her long tanned leg exposed and he knows she's wearing the black satin nighty that he loves.

He sits at the bed and forgets about what just happened, he will deal with Klaus later, he's tired now and he is done worrying, sometimes it seems all he does is worry.

Stefan needs his wife right now and he caresses her bare arms, Katherine moans and moves slowly in bed looking at him.  
"Hey… is it morning yet?" she asks sleepily.

Stefan smiles and nods "Good morning gorgeous"  
She gives him that smoldering smile of hers "Did you run into my lover? He just left"

Stefan chuckles "I found him trying to sneak out around back, I shot him in the chest"  
She laughs and searches for his lips, finding them just as sweet as they were when he left the previous morning.

"I missed you Mr. Salvatore"  
"Maybe I can make it up to you Mrs. Salvatore" he teases her and his hand finds her naked leg.

Katherine moves and so does he finding his way to where she wants him, on top of her.  
"Aren't you tired detective?" she asks using her foot to brush his leg and her fingers to do that thing he loves, little circles on his neck.

She had no use to add the look she's giving him now but she still goes for it.

Stefan pulls away from her and quickly gets rid of his holster and his shirt, she smiles and traces his defined abs and his chest, Stefan is way too perfect and good-looking for tiny her but the only complain she has right now is that there are too many things on this bed.

She throws away the pillows and helps him open his pants, he takes her nighty off and they kiss, almost harshly but they haven't spent quality time in weeks and they are starving for each other.

She clings to him and answers every move he makes, at first just hungry for her but then he finds his rhythm and every move is painfully slow now.

* * *

"What are we doing here?" Bonnie giggles "I can't see anything" she stumbles her way up what she assumes are stairs.

"That's the point darling" he laughs and guides her, he stops them in front of the door and tries the key Elijah gave him.

Kol removes his hand from her eyes and smiles waiting for her reaction, at first she's confused and looks at him.

He pushes the door open and smiles "We can't see anything from here"

Bonnie straightens her second best dress, the grey one that Caroline gave her for her birthday and steps inside the dark house.  
Kol touches the switch bringing light into the house and closes the door behind him.

"I don't know what's happening" she says suddenly afraid "Have you brought me here to… get rid of me? But why? I'm no one and…" she bites her lip hard.

Kol laughs and walks to her "Really darling? That's what goes through that mind of yours?"  
"You can't blame a girl who has never been inside a house this big well, except for Caroline's and you could just shoot me and leave me here where no one would find me..." it's all rambles that come from her confused mind now.

Kol cups her face "I hate that place where you live, it's sad and tragic, we had this house just sitting here unused… I figured we could try something new, I'm tired of my room filled with memories I much want to forget instead of relive. So..."

Bonnie is nervous and he can tell, his guards come up, he is impulsive, he has always been, he does things without thinking, it often gets him into trouble that either Elijah or Klaus are forced to get him out but maybe now he has finally gone too far.

He just met her and he is asking her to move in with him just like that, Kol tries to move away from her but she is different from every girl he ever met and she takes his face into her hands and kisses him.

Bonnie kisses him passionately and he kisses her back making sure she is as close as she should be to him.  
She smiles wonderfully and beautifully like only she knows "I'd love to be your girl Kol"

And he smiles hugely as well, so he hadn't been wrong, he knows there is something else about Bonnie Bennett and that they are so meant to be, she is as crazy and impulsive as he is, this is bound to end really well.

Or really bad, only time will tell.

* * *

The cab leaves her by their doorstep, she fixes her long hair, her sister hates that she isn't fashionable like all girls these days but Elena doesn't care about that.

She pays the man and clutches the small purse with his letters to her chest and makes her way to the bar.

She pushes the door slowly and looks around the room, she smiles watching him behind the desk in the small room in the back and takes a deep breath, she can do this; they have exchanged letters for the last year and a half.

She slowly knocks on the door and smiles at him when he looks uninterested at the source of the disturbing sound.  
His features change immediately "Elena…"

"Elijah" she says slowly but with a smile, she loves the way his name roles in her tongue.  
He stands up hastily and a lot of books fall to the floor, she bows to pick them up instantly.

"No, it's okay Elena, don't worry about them" he says taking one of the books from her hand.  
She smiles and hands him the other one "It's good to see you again Elijah" she says again just because she wants to repeat his name.

"I wasn't… expecting you" he says nervously, because her voice is sweet and enchanting just like her personality that so well came through in the way she answered his long letters.

"I came to visit my sister Katherine but… I wanted to see you first" she restrains from saying his name again because she is blushing already.  
"Will you be staying long?" he asks with a warm smile.

Elena feels her heart react to him "I've asked my mother to stay a bit in Chicago, there are many things that I want to… know before she tries to find me a good husband"  
Elijah clutches the book in his hand "I suppose you are coming of age for that…"

Elena isn't smiling now, just like in their letters every time she tried to show her affections for him, he reminded her of their age difference and she is truly upset by it.

"I will choose my own husband just like Katherine did for herself but I'd really love if he chose me as well"  
Elijah smiles politely and she can see how he is being cautious now that she is in his presence and not in scented letters that he keeps on his bed side.

Letters that he read every night before falling asleep and dreaming of her brown eyes, Elijah faces the table and drops the book there.

Like every night, a wave of guilt covers him, she is young and innocent and he is older, he should be wiser and instead he is crushing on Katherine's little sister since the day they met.

At Stefan's wedding, since that day he can't get her out of his mind and they have shared so many stories that there is very little she doesn't know about him and still the girl seems to share the same affections.

"Elijah…" she calls and he is afraid she might say something too soon.  
He faces her and smiles "I'm happy you will be staying in Chicago for a while. I'd like to take you out for dinner one of these nights"

She smiles happy and fights the will to clap of joy "I'd love that Elijah"  
He picks his suit jacket "Come on, I'll walk you home"

She fixes her hair "Thank you…"  
He smiles and walks with her.

* * *

Caroline takes a much-needed deep breath before opening the door, her mom is out of town visiting some relatives, well truthfully, she is mad at Caroline for bringing Klaus into her life again, she never liked Klaus and isn't happy to know her daughter is kissing him while still in a relationship with Matt.

This isn't the way she brought Caroline up and Liz is mostly disappointed at her.  
But Caroline took the opportunity though to clear her head and her heart, Dominic is at school and it is her day off since the Club is closed on Thursdays so she asks Matt to meet her here.

He stands by her door smiling a smile she doesn't want, she doesn't want anything from him to be honest and she easily avoids the kiss he tries to give her.  
"I see… so that's not why you called me here doll?"

Caroline touches her naturally wavy hair and plays with her pearls "This needs to stop Matt… I think you know that I don't love you, that I never did"

Matt closes the door behind him "The question here doll, is that I've waited for this and I don't care if you feel nothing or everything when I take what I want, what belongs to me"  
Caroline presses her lips "I don't belong to you or to that Club, I've worked hard for all I have"

"And what do you have Caroline?" Matt asks opening his suit.  
"A name and respect… can you say the same?"

Matt isn't amused with her nasty words and vile tone, he clasps his lips in return and his jaw.  
"Aren't you the firecracker now? What happened to the sweet angelic Caroline?"

She laughs in his face "I'm no angel Matt, I'm a demon, a demon with blonde hair and red lips and there's only one man allowed to call me his"  
Matt grabs her by the arms but she keeps her defiance smile "Why are you doing this now?"

"I thought I'd lost him but I have him back and that is enough to go against the world. I'm leaving the Club and Chicago. I'm going away with him and I will never return to this forsaken town. I will start a new life and leave all this behind"

He smiles "So now you are all brave and spit down on the hand that has given you and your son food"  
She breaks free from his hold "For the last time Matt… I've earned every penny"

"No you didn't. You never visited my bed" he tries to grab her arm again.  
She lets him but there's a hard feeling in his belly and he looks down, the silver of her small gun is shining.

"Are you going to shoot me now?"  
"If you don't let go of my arm, yes. I told you that I'm leaving, I don't mind leaving a rotten cold body behind as well"

Matt could push it but he is done with her for now, he is going after Klaus instead.  
She will come running back to him once he kills the bastard; he leaves her house fast, set on going for his gun and killing someone tonight.

* * *

"So you didn't even smooch her?"  
Elijah gives his sister a look "Not all of us are like Kol"

Rebekah laughs "But you like her, I remember how you used to smell the envelope and disappear to your room every time you got a new letter"

Elijah shakes his head "Don't be silly baby sister"  
"Oh I'm no baby Elijah and even if Elena is still candid … she's all sweet but she's waiting for a real man to show her how much that ceiling can spin"

"Rebekah" Elijah's tone is stern.  
"Stop being such a prude" she sighs.

"And you should not be so… used to such liberties" he says knowing its of no use.  
Rebekah displays that smile that gets them all to do what she wants "Because I'm a woman? Please Elijah… I have more bravery in me than Nik"

Elijah shakes his head but has a moment of honesty with his sister "She's… here to find a husband, I can't give her that… our family is… unworthy"

"Go after what you want Elijah… if she loves you that's all that matters" Rebekah says and pulls away from the counter, she looks at Jeremy that walks in carrying a few boxes, he drops them in Elijah's office and wipes his forehead, she tilts her head and watches the kid.

Jeremy has been with them for a while and has grown into a nice little man.  
She licks her lips and waves at him when he goes out again, he nervously smiles at her, she's far too pretty and he is forbidden by Kol to look at her for more than five seconds, he does as he is told.

Rebekah faces Elijah "Take Jeremy, there is so much I could teach him..."

Elijah fills his glass quietly "My kid brother is moving in with a woman he met two nights ago, one of which I'm sure he spent in her bed, the other has a son he had no knowledge of with the woman who has shared his bed since she was 18, God only knows if earlier and my baby sister is now keen on taking the innocence away from the poor orphan Gilbert kid…"

"And then there's you… chances are that Elena teaches you more than you can teach her" Rebekah teases him.

Elijah picks his glass and leaves to his office in heavy silence, he slams the door which makes Rebekah laugh, it's so damn easy messing with Elijah.

* * *

There's a knock on the door and Dominic runs to it, he grins at Klaus standing in the doorstep.

"Hi"  
"Hello" Klaus says and smiles a little forced.

"You got here just on time" Dominic says and moves to let him in.  
Klaus licks his lips and takes his hat off and a step inside.

Dominic closes the door with both hands and then looks up at Klaus "Dinner is ready" he easily says and takes his hand.

Klaus is practically shaking when he walks into the kitchen, the invitation for dinner was strange, even more now that he finds himself having it with Caroline and his son alone.  
Caroline smiles at him "Hey… take a seat, it's almost done"

Klaus squints, this entire situation is just surreal but he does it, he takes that place in a table that isn't his, in a house that isn't his with a family that could be his.

Dominic rests his chin on his hand and smiles showing his dimples "I'm happy mommy asked you to have dinner with us"

Klaus looks at Caroline that doesn't look at him, she has a lot to explain to him but she can't do it now, she wants to indulge in the perfection of the moment before.

She places the food on the table looking perfect and strokes Dominic's blonde hair, the boy smiles but he is too busy with the guest.  
"Do you like sports?" he asks Klaus easily.

"I enjoy a few games now and then but my brother is the true fan in the family"  
"How many brothers do you have?" Dominic asks with that child's curiosity.

"Dominic its rude to ask so many questions" Caroline says sternly.  
Klaus looks at her and smiles warmly "It's alright…"

That's all the boy needs, he drills Klaus with every possible question he can think of and Klaus is kind enough to answer them, he even loosens up during the night and tells Dominic a story about a haunted house by the docks.

It should make Caroline mad because it will give Dominic nightmares but she's too busy smiling and watching the two of them.

She needed tonight to make sure running away was the right call but right now, watching father and son laugh in the same way and using the same expressions and sounds, she never been so sure of anything in her life.

Klaus glances to her after a while but realizes he spent the entire night talking and laughing with Dominic easily, he notices the way Caroline takes it all in, so much that she even gave up on her food.

They lock eyes, saying what words could never say, this is ten years late but there is still a chance for them.  
Dominic clasps his lips and holds a grin inside, he then raises his arms and yawns loudly.

Caroline gasps but laughs "Dominic… watch your manners"  
The boy blushes "I'm sorry…"

She shakes her head and clears the table; he looks at Klaus afraid that he has caused a bad impression on the man that he has taken into his heart.  
Klaus smiles and raises his arms in the air mimicking him and yawns loudly as well.

Dominic bursts into a loud laughter and grabs his tummy laughing hard.  
"Oh perfect Nik…" she sighs and both of them look at her.

She chuckles at the awkward situation and then all three start laughing.  
It's an easy moment and they all love it.

But Dominic is sneaky and pretends to be really sleepy and Caroline goes to put him to sleep, he closes his eyes when Klaus smooches his head and says good night to him.

He waves back at Klaus when Caroline carries him upstairs and has a grin imprinted on his face when she kisses his cheek and tucks him in.

Caroline comes back downstairs and strokes her arms not sure what to tell Klaus but he just smiles at her.  
The happiness in his smile makes her heart ache.

"Did I pass the test?" he asks her.  
She gives him a look "It wasn't like that… Dominic insisted that I invited you because he thinks I'm… happier since you came to the house and met him… he didn't understand at first why we were all crying"

"What did you tell him?"  
"I didn't know what to tell him but it's still too early Nik…"

He smiles because nothing is sweeter than this to him, she calls him Nik.  
She picks up on it and tries to go back into the kitchen to clean it but Klaus grabs her arm gently.

She looks at him, both unaware of the sneaky blonde hiding on top of the stairs watching them.  
"Why did you invite me tonight Caroline?"

She gulps down with how much she has missed his deep voice saying her name "I wanted you here… I want you here…"  
Klaus smiles "He is extraordinary Caroline, he is an incredible little boy"

She feels tears coming to her eyes "He came from all that love we felt for each other"  
"Felt?" he asks her slowly.

Caroline shakes her head and touches his chest "This was never a question between us Nik…"  
He smiles and twirls her around, she laughs softly and they start dancing to a slow music that only they can hear.

Dominic has his legs crossed and his head on his hands watching them, he smiles because they look perfect together dancing.

He quickly gets up and runs to his room, he climbs to bed and pushes the covers up, he starts humming one of the songs his mother has sung so many times to him and falls asleep quickly with happiness in his features.

* * *

Klaus hand rests on her back and her hand is kept under his other big one.  
She caresses his shoulder over the smooth shirt and looks into those intense blue eyes of his.

She's as sure as she has been when she first spotted him with the scruff starting to show, the dirty blonde messy hair and the smug smile that made her knees weak.

Caroline moves her hand down his arm and takes his hand.  
He follows her into her bedroom and is serious as she starts unbuttoning his shirt; she's done this so many times that she doesn't feel the 10 year gap since she last did this.

She only misses him that much to remember her of it.  
It's all so natural and nothing has gone forgotten about their ways, her breath is quick as she fests her hands on his bare chest and removes the shirt completely.

She moves her hand and her eyes to his face and smiles, she leans towards him and kisses him.  
A sweet kiss at first, then it heats up as he presses her close to him, he has missed her too much and his tongue makes its way inside the heaven she allows him.

She pulls his hair as the kiss gets more passionate, blazing.  
Klaus has always kissed her like he knows what he wants, to short-circuit her brain and will.

They break the kiss and she is in search for air but wants more, wants not only his kisses but him as well.  
Klaus desire for her knows the same urgency and need and he slowly turns her around.

She closes her eyes as his hands caress her back and move to her side, he kisses her neck and trails his hand down, pulling her dress up a little, feeling her bare skin at first but gasping when she presses herself against him, running her hand through his neck.

He easily does what he never forgot, removes her dress and lets his hands wander through her faultless body.

* * *

Matt arrives to the empty Club furious; he goes straight to his office and for his heat.

He takes the gun from the safe and checks for bullets, its loaded just like his anger and craving for revenge and death.

There's a soft noise in the dark of his office "Who's there?" he asks into the shadows.  
There's no answer and he hits the light on the desk, he frowns "What are you doing here?"

He asks but the only answer he gets are two shots straight into his chest.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Sway – _Dean Martin_


	8. Dinner with the family

Caroline runs her hands through his hair, it feels perfect under her fingers and goes down his neck, she bites her lip feeling his broad smooth back under the gentle touch of her fingertips.

Klaus still knows her body like no one and leaves no smooth part out of his strong touch.  
She throws her head back with a deep grunt when he resumes his pace, sending waves of pleasure all through her body as he brings back all these memories she tried to keep under a deep sleep.

But his name whispered in bliss leaves no doubt, she has missed him too much.  
His lips are at her neck and then they are on her chin, gently tracing the face he has kept with him for 10 years, remembering it every night.

Caroline searches for his eyes, his blue eyes that hold such intensity and love, she strokes his perfect stubble and smiles at him.  
Her body is one with his, puzzled together in love and passion.

"I love you Nik..." she says knowing she has no need for it; it was never a secret the way she feels.  
Klaus strokes her cheek lovingly "My beautiful blonde demon, how I love you…" he whispers.

Caroline smiles and runs her hand down his back, bringing him closer to her for the last moments.  
Moments that they share by looking at each other, sharp breathes and mutual grunts and moans.

Klaus reaches out for the pillow under her and presses her closer to him, Caroline has never known happiness and love apart from him and the sheer pleasure building up inside of her belongs to him as well.

She throws her head back for the last seconds, unable to keep her eyes open or focused on his but aware that he is attentively watching her.

Never once he has made her feel self-conscious or embarrassed in any way, their love has always been too pure for that, the intensity between them could have made her feel uncomfortable but Klaus is the kind of man who puts a woman first in every second that he devotes to her and she lets that wave of long missed pleasure come over her, knowing that he is also waiting for it to come undone himself.

There is a whimper when he moves a couple more times slowly, deliberately riding her off an overwhelming high and searching for his.  
She is shivering but so is he, she feels his sweaty neck and caresses his fault free body smiling.

"I've missed you so much Nik…" she whispers.  
Klaus kisses her shoulder, her neck and then cups her face, he places a gentle kiss on her lips that she easily turns into a deep one, searching for his answer.

They kiss perfectly entangled together, he hasn't moved and she doesn't want him to, it was on a hot night like this that they made their son.

Ten years ago in a passionate night like this, Dominic was made and for the first time since they parted ways, Caroline is happy again.

* * *

Bonnie rushes through the kitchen, she has no idea where most things are but she manages to make a decent breakfast and goes into the room to check on him.

Kol is sleeping soundly still, she smiles and comes near the bed; she takes the chance that he is quiet to fully see the man who has taken her heart by storm.

Kol's hair is wild and soft; his chest is toned and well-defined though he doesn't look as buffed as the ridiculous goons that fill this town.

His chest is smooth and pleasant to the touch and she touches her lips remembering how they were glued to it last night.

She loves making love to Kol, he is passionate and powerful but there are moments when he almost seems vulnerable and she has noticed the change in him.

At first he was very down to business and she even doubted he would return to see her after that first crazy night but surprisingly he has returned and has become warmer and sweeter towards her.

Bonnie blushes watching him, he is incredible in bed but she loves when he is just kissing her or holding her body close at night, after they make love.  
That's when she truly feels loved and wanted; something new for her.

Just like the big bed, the biggest by far she has ever slept in.  
Kol moves in his sleep and she watches him with that sweet smile.

He turns his head and smiles sleepily at her "I probably overslept"  
"You didn't tell me to wake you up" she says sweetly.

Kol watches the petite woman in the silk robe tugging her body and is serious for a bit "Come here darling..."

She frowns but slowly does what he asks of her, he takes her hand and pulls her closer to him, she lies on the bed next to him and he outlines her face slowly.  
She smiles at him "What is it?" she asks him in a low voice.

He returns the smile "I haven't slept like that in years, I don't remember the last time I actually slept an entire night… but I feel good when I'm with you"

Bonnie traces the chest she has been staring just minutes before with her hands "You make me feel good as well"

Kol strokes her chin with his thumb and then leans over kissing her slowly, he moves his hand to her waist, tugging the silk and then her smooth leg.

She smiles when he breaks the slow kiss, her foot is caressing his leg "I made breakfast"  
Kol chuckles "Well today seems to be a first in many things"

Bonnie looks at him happy that he is taking his time but feels her heart burst tight with a feeling slowing growing inside of her.

Kol kisses her again with no intention of taking things any further, kissing Bonnie in a slow morning feels better than all the sex in the world.

* * *

Dominic stretches his arms trying to wake up, he can see the sun so he knows its day, he finds it weird that his mommy hasn't come to wake him today and quickly pushes the warm covers away.

He shivers when his bare feet touch the cold floor but he shrugs it off fast.  
Dominic runs to his mommy's room and pushes the door open, he finds it weird as well that she is still in her robe and that she looks nervous.

"Good morning mommy" he says happily like he feels this morning.  
"Good morning pumpkin… why don't you go downstairs? Mommy will be down quickly to make you breakfast"

He nods but frowns spotting the coat on the feet of the bed "Isn't that Nik's coat?"  
Caroline gets even more nervous and Dominic finds it all very strange but tilts his head when the man steps out of the bathroom slowly.

Klaus waves at the boy awkwardly and everyone kind of holds their breath but Dominic smiles hugely and runs to the man.  
He laces his chubby little arms around him and grins looking up "You stayed for breakfast"

Klaus smiles and Caroline finds her breath back.  
"I did… it was late to go back home" Klaus says and without thinking touches the boy's soft blonde hair.

Dominic's grip around his legs is tight and he has a huge smile "Mommy does the best pancakes in the world"  
Klaus returns the smile "Shall we go and help her make them?"

Dominic nods eagerly and before he knows it Klaus is scooping him in his arms.  
He plays with Klaus shirt and they both make their way into the kitchen in a heated discussion of what's best, pancakes with sugar or pancakes with honey.

Caroline sits roughly on the bed fighting happy tears that she never expected to shed.

* * *

"Salvatore, get in here"  
Stefan is in the middle of a call when his Captain calls him.

He ends it fast and goes inside the room where a black tall man is sitting by the desk.  
"This is Connor" His Captain says and takes another draw from his cigar.

Stefan looks at the other man who eyes him carefully.  
"Someone popped that Donovan kid" the Captain says and hands Stefan a file covered in ashes.

Stefan needs to see the name to be sure he heard right, two bullets into the heart, the report says and he frowns.  
Someone killed Matt Donovan inside his own office.

"I'm handing you the case before you start nagging me but you get Connor with the deal. The Feds sent him"  
Stefan closes the file in his hands and looks at Connor.

"Why am on babysitting duty?"  
Stefan's Captain ends his cigar "Don't play hard ball Salvatore and do what I tell you"

He leaves the office to go yell at someone else and Stefan focus on the file again, Connor smiles and takes the hat perfectly resting on his knee and unfolds his leg "Will you be a problem?"

Stefan smiles without looking at him "Not at all, just stay out of my way"  
Connor stands up and soothes his vest "I'm only here to make sure everything goes smoothly"

Stefan looks at him "Why send the long coat? Is it because Donovan was friends with the Mayor's kid?"

Connor smiles and leaves the office, Stefan is more than uneasy, even more because his list of suspects is very short and Klaus' name is on top.

* * *

The shock is general and the silence is heavy.

Caroline squeezes the gloves in her hands; she barely had time to say hi to Bonnie when the news hit everyone hard.

"I can't believe this is even happening" one of the girls whispers.  
Bonnie hands a tissue to another of the choir girls and comes to sit next to Caroline.

"What happens now?"  
Caroline licks her red lips "They will close the Club I suppose…"

"What will happen to us?" one of the men from the band asks worried.  
"How can you think of that now? Matt just died, someone shot him" One of the girls snaps.

It is enough to start a loud commotion of worried tears and snapping reactions.  
Caroline is still in her chair, she can't understand who would go and kill Matt like that, after her perfect night and morning, there is a shadow of concern for her future now.

Not that she is worried about work, she can sing in any Club in any place and she has Klaus by her side now but still she is worried that this might raise too many questions about Matt's hidden business and by consequence Klaus'.

Three men come inside the Club, the one in the front making his way smugly she knows, Tyler Lockwood.  
"We are opening the Club tonight" he says and takes off his deep blue hat.

He drops it on top of the counter and orders one of his hired goons to fetch for a drink.  
Everyone knows that he holds half the Club but they didn't expect him to come forward so soon.

Matt's body isn't even under the dirt and he is already taking charge of everything.  
"This is going to be really easy, I'm stepping in and taking the Club and everyone that isn't happy about that can just walk out now" he says happily taking the drink.

"Doesn't the police need to investigate or something?" Bonnie asks surprised that the Club doesn't need to stay shut.  
"My father is the Mayor, spare me the lack of intelligence doll"

Bonnie rolls her eyes, she never liked the smug bastard before, having to work for him will be the very least challenging.

"Go on, I'm not paying you all to sit around and mop. Go look decent, we have a Club to open up" he says and leaves to his new Office.

Bonnie stands up watching him leave with his two closets behind, she faces Caroline folding her arms "I hate him even more than I hated Matt"

Caroline gives her a small smile but her mind is far away.

* * *

"Dinner is ready" Rebekah says coming down the stairs.

Her three brothers look at her like she's announcing that she has set fire to the house.  
"You… made food?" Kol is the first to ask what everyone is thinking.

Rebekah gives him a side look "No Kol, I shot someone and cut him in pieces for food… of course I made food" she snaps.

"Since when do you cook?" Klaus asks piling the money on the table from the new deal.  
"Do we have a good insurance?" Elijah asks closing the box with the money.

"You three are hilarious" she says and goes upstairs.  
The grin on the three of them is big and they make their way up to the kitchen.

The table is set with a lot more food than they need and Elijah is impressed.  
Rebekah smiles as her brothers take their places on the table, always the same ritual.

Elijah on her right, Kol on the left and Klaus ahead of her.  
They dig into the food with will, Kol more than the others.

Elijah fills her glass with wine and she smiles at him "Thank you"  
He does the same with the others always looking like he has all the time in the world.

"Do you not eat Rebekah?" Klaus asks her noticing how she's more busy watching them than eating.  
The constant subtle concern of Klaus towards her always makes her feel tingly inside.

"I'm busy watching you three. How have you survived before I returned to Chicago? You seem to be on food absence for months"

Kol rolls his eyes "We sleep around 2 hours a night, dodge bulls and long coats, drive outside of town every other day… we don't have time to eat"  
"Plus some of us are busy scamming their way into warm beds" Elijah enjoys his wine.

Kol laughs dryly at him "Unlike the others that read about it, I actually do it"  
Elijah rolls his eyes but it is Rebekah that gives him away "Elena is in town, perhaps he will take his books less serious now"

"Oh Elena…" Kol teases his brother "Make sure you read the right book, you don't want to scare the poor girl away"  
Elijah ignores his rude comment and cuts through his meat.

Rebekah and Klaus laugh but Kol doesn't want to stop the banter.  
"Have you kissed her yet?"

Elijah keeps his eyes on the food "I need to properly court her"  
"Poor girl… she will have to wait so long for a peck" Rebekah joins the teasing.

"You can't be our brother Elijah… everyone in the family has found a way to hit on all sixes except you" Kol points at him.  
"Well he wouldn't say if he had anyway" Klaus smiles from his corner.

"I think it's safe to say that we won't have a mini Elijah running around the house any time soon" Rebekah says leaning against her chair, she rather enjoy the conversation than eat.

"Speaking of which, I believe that kiss I gave Caroline somehow passed my good genes to Dominic, the kid is way too good-looking and he loves Baseball" Kol says eating a big portion of bread.  
Klaus shakes his head smiling "Dominic is perfect"

"Exactly my point"  
"I really want to meet him" Rebekah says warmly.

"How about you Kol? When will we have the mini Kol with Bonnie's good looks?" Elijah asks serious with his elbows on top of the table and opening his arms.  
Klaus laughs from his seat when Kol stops eating serious.

"I think he still believed none of us knew he has been seeing the girl for the last month" Klaus tells Elijah in a low teasing voice.  
"Kol went steady… scary stuff" Rebekah refills her glass.

"Are you planning a Summer wedding?" Elijah asks again calmly.

Kol drops the bread, he has lost all appetite.  
"I don't know, are you planning on losing your virginity any time this century? You are embarrassing the family Elijah"

Elijah raises his glass, point for his younger brother.  
"I think the family will survive the shame" he easily says.

They all laugh but Rebekah is on to Klaus' silence, a bit heavier than usual.

"Did anything happen Nik?"  
He smiles at his sister "I'm considering leaving Chicago with Caroline and Dominic, I don't want him to grow up like us"

The words hit home hard for everyone and Klaus expects his older brother to speak in behalf of the rest of them but instead it's Kol that stuns them all.

"You should take him away, as far as possible from what we do"  
Klaus looks at Kol unable to hide the surprise in him.

"Growing up as a Mikaelson is a curse and you shouldn't place that on your son"  
Klaus knows this means leaving them all behind and that is hard for him, he only went through it the other time because they all followed him.

Even with having Caroline and the kid with him it still means giving up on is siblings.  
They all share long stares of those who have been through too much in life.

"Even if you go we will always be together" Rebekah reassured her favorite brother.  
"Always and forever" Elijah says reaching his glass to the middle of the table.

Everyone follows him and they look at each other around the table.

"Well you have awful timing Nik… now that I decided to come back you run away" Rebekah breaks the tension and the serious moment.

Klaus laughs "Still plenty of time to see you chase after your next victim"  
Rebekah returns the easy laughter "There are too many baby faces in Chicago. I need to find a man"

All her three brothers make a sick face with the talk, she's the youngest and supposed to be the candid of them all, not the worst.

She laughs loudly at their green faces.

* * *

It's a beautiful night and I pull my stockings up one last time, making sure that they are in the right place.

I look in the mirror and check my blush, it doesn't look too strong and I push the dress a bit down, showing my cleavage a little more.  
Kol knocks on my door and I smile, grab my purse and take his arm.

He looks dashing but they all do, I'm happy that we convinced Elijah to come with us to the Mill tonight.

I leave the house with my brothers and Nik holds the door of the car for me, it makes me smile that sometimes they actually remember I am a girl and not one of the boys.

The line is big but Nik knows the bouncer and he calls us inside as soon as he sees him.  
The Club is packed and we soon drift apart, Caroline has ended her performance already and she rushes to Nik.

They share a heated kiss that makes me look away but I soon catch the girl sweetly kissing Kol by the bar.

I look down because I'm used seeing Kol with a lot of women but always as a hit and run, never this sweet and caring.

Elijah scans the place, I know he hopes to see his sweet Elena tonight but soon he is kidnapped by men in long cigars and boring talks about money and stocks.

I ask my brother's girl for a drink and she is visibly nervous about it, I smile at the poor girl, its obvious Kol likes her a lot.

There are a lot of eyes on me tonight but I'm not interested in them, seeing my brothers engaged with flings makes me miss him.

I miss him so much that everything is aching inside of me; I take another giggle water trying to forget his baby blue eyes that I miss smoldering.

I play with my long necklace and dismiss some pill that tries his luck tonight.  
The same fate follows every bell bottom that washed up in this joint tonight.

Nik is dancing with Caroline, as tight as one, she is laughing at something he told her, she leans her ear close to his lips, strokes the back of his neck and nods.

I don't know what he told her but she liked it and moves her hand down his chest, over the black vest he is wearing.

When she pulls that bit away, his hand gently holds her back and he dips her, her blonde hair caught with a pink pin waves and her short bright pink dress shines with the lights hitting on it.

Nik pulls her back to him like he has done endless times and watching them slowly melt into a long kiss makes me doubt they have spent any time apart at all.  
Everything has always been so normal and natural between them.

There are so many couples around them dancing and twirling around but they are busy whispering things that make everyone wonder and dancing slowly to that music only they hear.

When he laughs at something she said and they kiss again I force myself to look away.  
They deserve their privacy.

Kol is busy talking to Jeremy about sports results and bets they will be collecting tomorrow and I drawn my sudden sorrow into my almost empty glass.

The turn the night took is leaving me melancholic and I'm flood with memories of him again, I miss dancing with him and laughing at his silly faces and remarks.

I touch my freckles through my white glove and smile, how I miss him teasing them.

"Excuse me miss… will you give me the utmost pleasure of dancing with me?"  
I smile hugely and look at Elijah that stands there determined.

I nod and take his hand, he swiftly catches my waist and we dance, at first slow but Elijah can surprise a woman like the true gentleman that he is and we end up giving everyone a show.  
When the music changes again, Nik grabs my hand and twirls me around and switches partners.

Caroline is now dancing with Elijah and I smile at Nik.  
"You are happy" I say with warmth.

"Yes" he simply tells me and it's the same than a thousand words neatly cringed into a speech.  
I know my brother well.

"May I interrupt?" Kol says next to us and it makes me chuckle.  
They are all invested on a mission.

Klaus kisses my hand through the glove and smiles that enchanting smile that has broken so many hearts.  
"It has been a pleasure sweetheart"

I shake my head that he has the ability to get out of every situation with his dimples and look at the other moron that is able to seduce the coldest pair of gams in Chicago.

I shake my tail off with Kol, we dance back to back and he spins me around so fast that I feel dizzy but I'm happy and for the rest of the night I forget about Damon.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

That's life – _Frank Sinatra_


	9. Sing for me

"Thank you John" Caroline says easily to her driver.

The blonde man smiles and touches his hat, he loves his job, not everyone in this town can gloat that they get to spend so much time with the city's current Queen.

The hype around the Club is even bigger now that the news have travelled, the Donovan kid is dead and there's a new Sheriff in town.

Tyler is actually doing a good job running the joint but everyone knows the reason behind all the success that the Mill knows these days..  
Caroline Forbes is the best singer in town and she looks better with every day.

She's happy and more confident, her latest act has everyone talking and she is causing a lot of problems in good marriages that can't survive the way she has the men wrapped around her blonde waves and her red lips.

John knows that she is free of Matt Donovan and his obsession for her, he remembers how he had to restrain a few times from pulling the Gangster wannabe away from her in the back of the car but with the kid gone, Caroline took another man into her life.

John has dropped her discretely at Room 21 every other night and knows that she has been seeing the Mikaelson leader.

Now that's a man John respects because his sheer presence demands it, John knows how this city works and he knows whose bullets he rather be dodging.

Caroline Forbes is the talk of Chicago, because she is equally envied as she is wanted.  
Wanted by every man and envied by every woman, because of her fame and her man.

* * *

Caroline barely recognizes the woman in the lose elegant silver dress, she shakes her head and needs confirmation.  
"Bonnie?" She calls taking off her gloves.

The girl turns around from her task, she's making a list of the alcohol she will need for tonight and smiles at Caroline.  
"Morning Care" she says with a big smile.

"I really didn't recognize you… you look stunning in that dress"  
Bonnie smiles and looks down, Caroline Forbes saying that she looks stunning, it must be a dream.

"You like it? I was drooling over it last week when I went by a store with Kol. We were walking home and he sneakily bought me the dress the next day"  
Caroline clasps her hands together "Young love… so adorable"

Bonnie nervously laughs "Stop it…"  
"I still remember when Nik bought me my first dress…"

Bonnie presses the list to her chest, the cold of it covering her cleavage "I think… I think that maybe I'm… falling in love with him"  
Caroline plays with her gloves "Bonnie love… you are completely in love with him"

Her friend is a bit sad which surprises Caroline "Bonnie?"  
"I don't know how he feels about me so maybe I'm just getting myself into something that I might regret and end up having my heart shattered in the end"

Caroline smiles and goes to Bonnie, she laces her arm around her friend sweetly "Let me tell you something about these Mikaelson men… they don't know how to say the words… these little words we crave so much to listen to but they do show it in every way possible"

Bonnie clasps her lips "About that… in the beginning… Kol was very…"  
Caroline smiles because Bonnie is blushing a little, she strokes her arm as incentive.

"He was very enthusiastic… now he… arrives home and… holds me and sleeps" she whispers as if she's spilling out the dirty deeds of a crazy night.  
"That's …" Caroline struggles with the words.

Bonnie slumps in her high heels, she's scared to speak the words that kept her awake at night for the last week.  
But their imperative talk comes to an end because Tyler comes in.

"I don't pay you to hug each other" he grumbles and throws a few papers on a table.  
Caroline smiles at Bonnie and lets her go, surprisingly Tyler is a tolerable boss, he drools over the girls and casually sneaks his way into the dressing rooms when they are changing but he is less controlling than Matt and loves the Club above everything.

His bad temper is easily bearable by everyone and things have improved drastically.  
Caroline needs to rehearse and goes to the stage leaving her things on the way down on Matt's old booth.

Bonnie resumes her work and goes around into the bar, she stretches her arm to grab one of the bottles on top and her body is neatly curved by the flowing dress.  
Tyler smirks watching her "You should wear that dress more often, its good for business"

Bonnie chuckles "I am not one of your _girls _Tyler and if you try to sell me to anyone, I will ask Kol to break your legs"

Tyler loses his smile and goes back to his papers, he keeps forgetting that Shorty is warming the Mikaelson troublemaker at night.

* * *

"How come you don't like it?" Dominic asks and folds his arms to further prove how surprised he is.

Klaus laughs "I just don't see the point in it"  
Dominic shakes his head in deep disapproval "Baseball is the best game in the world"

Klaus is still laughing but checks the street for cars "I'm sorry, I obviously don't know what I'm missing"  
Dominic shrugs and takes his hand "It's ok, I forgive you" he easily says and waits for the grown up to cross the street to his school.

Klaus still feels nervous when Dominic does this, taking his hand and looking up at him like this still makes him shaky.

He takes the little boy to the other side and Dominic hums a song, Klaus smiles that he does this.  
Caroline does the same when she is happy.

When they arrive to the school gates, Dominic falls sad, this is the worst part of his day, the part he has to say goodbye to Klaus.

The best is that Klaus now for some reason walks him to school every day, at first he thought that his mother and Gran were ill but apparently Gran is getting old and needs to stay in bed a little more and since his mom works so hard, she likes the warm bed in the mornings.

This used to be the dreaded hour for him, now Dominic wakes up at five in the morning, rushes to get ready and waits for Klaus outside his house.

Klaus picks him up a lot earlier than he is supposed to but he takes him to a coffee shop and buys him warm milk and they just talk.  
When its time, Klaus takes him to school.

Dominic kicks a rock in the edge of the sidewalk "I guess I'll see you tomorrow"  
Klaus smiles "Of course Dominic"

The boy presses his eyebrows "What happens when you get tired of me?"  
Klaus frowns "What do you mean Dominic?"

Dominic kicks that rock harder "Soon you will get tired of me and my silly stories and you will move along"  
Klaus can't help the smile, he even pouts like his mother.

He gets on one knee and places a finger to the chin of the boy making him look up "I will never get tired of you…"

It takes everything inside of Klaus not to call him son and the kid looks up smiling, he meets Klaus with his blue eyes that match his and smiles.

"Promise?"  
Klaus nods "Yes"

In one big impulse Dominic laces his arms around Klaus and hugs him tight, he loves that Klaus is so strong, it makes him feel safe and that nothing will ever happen to him and he is happy that Klaus is dancing with his mom because that means nothing will happen to her either.

* * *

"Bonnie?" Tyler yells by the edge of the bar.  
A few men give him a shady look but he doesn't care.

Bonnie makes her way to him and looks at the girl he is holding, dark hair, young and with beautiful eyes.  
She looks terrified to be here with all the noise and confusion, Bonnie smiles warmly at her.

"This is April… she's new and shy… I need you to show her how all this works"  
"The bar?" Bonnie asks confused.

"How to flirt with men so they can buy her drinks" Tyler snaps appalled.  
The men around him take their drinks and leave to a table upset but he isn't that bothered about it and goes to his office.

Bonnie rests her arms on top of the counter "So… small town girl? First time in Chicago?"  
April smiles and nods, she flinches when a group of men laughs loudly and one of them stumbles drunk, he looks at her and gives her a big smile.

"Pretty little thing…" he says with a slow tongue.  
Bonnie pulls April inside with her and shoves the man away "Go get sober Shane"

The man makes a pistol gesture with his fingers and closes his eye at her.  
"Regular pill… he'll be back tomorrow" Bonnie easily says and looks at April.

She is pretty but has a really innocent look that every pistol in the joint will want to tap.  
She takes the box with the lost and found they keep behind the counter and uses a clip to pull the girl's hair on the side giving her another look.

Bonnie pulls the baggy dress on the sides as well and makes sure the dress is tight with the use of pins.  
April's leg is showing when Bonnie is done because she traps the dress up on one side as well, she smiles happy that the girl looks so good after she is done applying lipstick as well.

April looks down on herself and smiles, she never looked so good and never imagined she would, to be honest.

"New girl?"  
Bonnie looks at Kol "Started just now"

"Then serve us darling" Kol says sitting by the counter.  
Bonnie encourages her and she takes a deep breath "What will it be?"

"Scotch" Kol taps the counter happy and winks at his girl.  
April looks confused with so many bottles and finally decides on one, she pours something into a glass and hands it to Kol.

"Thank you, that's gin but it looks straight" he teases the girl and shoves the glass to Jeremy that just arrived.  
"Oh I'm sorry…" April hastily says and tries to grab the glass but ends up knocking it all over the counter.

Jeremy has to stand up to avoid getting all wet pants.  
Kol laughs "Great start love"

Bonnie gives him a look "Don't be mean…"  
"I'll get you another drink… maybe the right one" she looks at all the bottles again.

He laughs and leans over the counter "No need, I just came to kiss my girl before leaving. I have a job out-of-town"

Bonnie is sad that he won't spend the night with her and cups his cheek, they share a long kiss and April looks stunned that they are so blunt in their ways and that the hot man is Bonnie's boyfriend.

"Be careful" she whispers at him.  
"Always darling" he answers and steals another kiss from her.

He punches Jeremy arm so hard that the kid almost tips over and leaves.  
Bonnie decides to focus on the new girl for the rest of the night to keep her mind busy.

"What will it be Jeremy?" she asks the other kid eyeing April amused.  
"Anything strong… Kol says I need to toughen up"

Bonnie points at a bottle and April serves the attractive boy, he has a great smile and she blushes noticing his muscled arms under the tight shirt, it seems every man in Chicago is hot so far.

* * *

Rebekah shakes her head, she refuses to believe that Elijah still hasn't asked Elena out on a date.  
"She will be gone soon Elijah"

"If she must" Elijah simply says.  
"She will go back to her sad hometown and marry the local doctor, he will bore her to death and she will end up fat and mother of 10"

Elijah gives his sister a look.  
"When she could be married to you and giving me a mini Elijah… imagine the hair that cutie would have" she teases her brother.

Elijah shakes his head "I will not force anything on her, it is her choice"  
Rebekah folds her arms "How can she have a choice if you won't even ask the girl out?"

"Shouldn't you be focusing on your little nephew?"  
Rebekah clasps her hands together and brings them to her heart "Oh my, he is so cute and adorable. I want to pinch his cheeks so hard"

"He looks just like Nik when he was little" Elijah says happy.  
"But seeing him across the street is kind of harsh, we deserve a lot more. I demand dinner with him and Caroline" Rebekah is stern.

"I agree, we should talk to Caroline when she finishes" Elijah says taking his drink.  
He shocks on it when Elena walks inside the Club with her sister and Stefan.

She smiles hugely when she sees Elijah and walks to him instantly "You are here Elijah"  
"Elena" he clears his throat.

She smiles at him but doesn't say anything and the moment is silent for both.  
Katherine quickly leads Stefan to a table, she can't stand Rebekah and doesn't want to talk to her.

The feeling is mutual and the boring staring moment Elijah and Elena are sharing makes her snap.  
She grabs her purse and takes a cigarette out, she turns to one of the men eyeing her with a vile smile.

He offers her light and a drink.  
"No thanks" she easily dismisses him.

Just like the other poor bastards that try their luck with her but Rebekah lives in a world whose rules are made by her.

Her body and soul belong to one man only and she allows others to touch her when she can't stand the loneliness and the memories that he left imprinted on her.  
But only when she wants it and tonight she won't let anyone touch her.

She drags her smoke and her drink, she takes her time with both ignoring the silly talk about books she will never read.  
She was happier when her brother was only staring at Elena, they definitely are a match with their common love for poems.

Rebekah smiles before taking another sip from her sweet juice, Damon would be shooting jokes like a machine gun at these two by now.

And he would be sneaking his evil hand under her short white pearl dress and whispering devilish things in her ear that would make even her blush and pull him to the nearest corner.

She finishes her drink but unlike the alcohol, she needs another smoke and goes outside.  
Another sucker tries his luck and she smiles that flirty smile of hers, purses her full lips and comes near the man, she can see him shaking in lust when her sweet perfume surrounds him.

"Not tonight baby face…" she whispers and slowly licks her lips.  
The man is practically drooling when she removes her finger from his chin.

"Please… tell me your name…" he asks with a hand to his racing heart.  
Rebekah smiles and pulls her head into a seductive manner "I'm the devil and the devil has no name…"

She leaves the Club and the man craving to know her and she does it with a smile, a fake one that she perfected over the last 10 years.

She misses Damon, her heart doesn't beat the right way without him but she learned to put up a show so good that even her brothers believe she is over him.

* * *

I take my drink and find a table, I could sit with Katherine and Stefan but she hates my guts and I'm not in the mood to end up having my own precious liquor all over my black suit.

I touch my black suit vest, Caroline's favorite and wait for my Queen to start her sweet torture.  
She has included in her act the song that she has sweetly sang in my ear for years, the one that haunted me when I left her behind.

Sometimes when I closed my eyes I could listen to her sweet evil voice in my ear whispering the words in that gentle way she has of singing.  
Alluring like the demon that she is.

The lights go out and the Club is immersed in silence, you could hear the filter in a cigarette disappear with the intensity of it all.  
They are all waiting, gagging for the star that owns this town.

We should be out of this town by now but Donovan's death is still under investigation and as usual I'm high on another list.

I'm forced to stay here but she has found a way to keep us happy, once a week she sings that song, she performs it to a Club that can't hold anyone else inside and I smile happy because no matter how many come to see her and cheer for her, there is only one person for whom Caroline sings and dances that song.  
Me.

The music slowly gives her away and the lights start to show her, lying on top of the piano.  
Her voice is slow, seductive and to me, she seems to be purring instead of singing but that could be because I find her irresistible and I want to have her right on top of that white piano.

She is facing the ceiling and I know that she has her eyes closed, the red dress clashes with her ivory skin and the white piano and she lazily has one leg slightly up.

_**"I've got trouble, trouble, trouble  
Always knocking at my door"**_

Her voice fills the place and my blood boils inside my veins, I never thought it was possible to want someone the way I want her.  
No… it's not want, it's need.

I need Caroline like the air that my lungs barely allow inside and even knowing that every man inside this place will dream of her tonight, I still find comfort that when she turns her head to the audience, she faces me.

Caroline blindly knows where I am, right here, always here for my beloved one.

* * *

Connor watches the woman end her show and applauds with will, like every sucker inside this Club, she has everyone on the palm of her hand.

He could try to be different but there is no way to resist such a beautiful woman with the voice to kill.  
He finds her perfect after 2 songs and wants to meet her after 3.

His hat is being twirled in his hands when she steps down from the stage, showered with flowers and sweaty hands that want to touch her, touch the star.

She is polite and doesn't push anyone away but Conner finds it strange that she ends up in a single table.  
He squints and remembers the man, Salvatore's friend and prime suspect in the Donovan's case.

Connor decides to rudely interrupt the almost kiss "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to bother you but… I find you truly remarkable"  
The girl looks at him a bit astonished but like the professional that she is, she quickly reacts and smiles "Thank you…"

Her words match her sparkling big eyes and he is a bit taken by it.  
He didn't expect her to be this beautiful up close "The name is Connor"

He almost forgets about the other man at the table, only remembering it when she looks at him, he does the same and faces the hard expression.  
The man looks as dangerous as all the stories he heard about him.

"Klaus Mikaelson I presume"  
He drinks and squints never letting his cigarette go and Connor knows that's all the answer he will get from him.

Connor returns to the magnificent creature in red "I am a fan… after tonight I have found my reason to live"  
Klaus drops the glass on the table with a smile and faces the man "I thought that was the law?"

Connor smiles at him "So you know who I am?"  
"There's not much in this town that happens without my knowledge"

"Then you could help us close the Donovan case and tell us who did it"  
Klaus smiles with the direct ways of the long coat "I said much…"

"I see… well I would hate to place this angel in that short list of suspects… I find it a true shame…" Connor glances at Caroline and her generous cleavage.

Instead of being embarrassed Caroline leans over touching her red shoe showing a perfect toe "Now… that's silly, why would I be a suspect?"

Connor licks his lips unconsciously, the woman is truly something else.  
"You were his girlfriend… and it didn't take you long to sit in another chair"

Caroline laughs flirting with the man openly "You know that I was helping Stefan and that Matt was just for the show"  
"It's never a good idea to give so much power to a woman such as yourself"

Caroline bats those huge eyelashes of hers and stands up slowly "And that is the cold truth of it all"  
Connor watches as she swings her hips away and then looks at Klaus, he expects the man to be raging with jealousy but he is calmly having his drink.

"I hope you don't mind the compliments, I'm sure you are used to having other men admiring her"  
Klaus smiles without looking at him "I don't mind it all… at the end of the night…" he stands up and grabs his coat and hat "She is going home with me"

Connor twirls his hat one more time watching after Klaus, lucky bastard.

* * *

Klaus comes to her dressing room, he closes the door behind him and throws his coat and hat on the couch.

He places his hands inside his suit pants upset, she gives him a smile from her mirror.  
"You look so hot when you get all jealous"

Klaus looks away from her "You didn't have to flirt so hard with the poor bastard… it's obvious he has a heated fling for you but Stefan didn't say he was to be another _Matt_"

She pulls her feather from the hair and it falls down in cascades, she looks at Klaus, she knows how much he loves that she is letting her hair grow and she stands up.

Klaus gulps down, she is wearing a tight white body suit with tiny hooks that hold her stockings.  
The sight of it all under the robe she is wearing preventing him from the full shock, has now left him dizzy.

It isn't fair that she looks this good wearing innocent white.  
"Stefan only said he wanted to know why this Connor was here and that he wanted to see my show… I will not do anything more than what you just saw"

"Maybe I should find someone who needs distraction as well…" Klaus manages to actually form a thought.  
Caroline smiles and slowly takes off her robe, letting it fall to the ground.

"I don't want you to be upset… you know that I don't want any other man but you"  
"I'm not upset… I just want to take you and Dominic and leave this damn town"

The way he presses his jaw is crystal clear of how this is actually consuming him.  
Caroline comes near him and laces her hands around his neck, making soothing circles in the back of it "I've got you back… I don't care about anything else…"

"When will you tell him?"  
Caroline sighs "That's why you are really upset then…"

"I want him to know Caroline"  
"And he will but I need to prepare him, it will be such a shock … I told him that you were dead Nik…" she says quietly.

Klaus licks his lips "I feel like I'm deceiving him by hiding that he is my son"  
It is Caroline's turn to gulp down "I will tell him soon"

He smiles finally loosening up and she looks at him changing the mood "Did you enjoy the show tonight?"

Klaus hands travel down her body, taking every curve and warmth "Will you sing to me now that we are alone?"

She gasps because he is unlocking her stockings slowly while looking at her, piercing her soul even.

Caroline breaths against his lips "Only after you make me scream your name…" she whispers as his hands starts pushing the stockings down.

His smile is dark and his hands comes up, gently squeezing her waist and then her breasts through the tight body suit, he touches her exposed skin, slowly tracing it and then cups her chin, her cheek and brings his lips close to hers.

He teases her before touching them, she is shivering and shuddering in desire, her hands start unbuttoning his vest and slowly she nudges his lips with her tongue.

It soon disappears inside his mouth where he welcomes her and they share a deep kiss.  
His vest comes down his arms, his shirt is quickly removed and her exquisite lingerie disappears slowly from her body.

* * *

Kol is quiet, she is sleeping and he is trying to get into bed without waking her.  
"I thought you were going to be away all night…" she says from her side.

"And I thought you were sleeping…" he grimaces.  
Bonnie moves so she can lie on her back and face him "Have you grown tired of me already? Be honest" she demands bluntly ready to hear anything.

Kol looks at her stunned "Where did that come from darling?"  
"You are… different and I don't know… I feel like you lost interest in me or something" she says pressing her lips together.

Kol smiles and it leaves her upset "Don't joke about this Kol, please, I'm serious"  
"I never… had a girlfriend before… I had a lot of hits and runs but you are the first girl I'm sharing a bed with"

She is struck by his honesty and touches his face.  
He takes her tiny hand into his and then close to his heart "I don't know how to do this… how to be in a steady thing so maybe you could cut me some slack here?"

She nods at him and bites her lip, he has completely taken charge of her heart and she is falling in love with him hard.  
"So… do you want to have sex?" he asks with a raised eyebrow.

She laughs and shoves him away which makes him laugh and then he slowly moves and his smiling face is upon hers, his hazel eyes sparkling at her.  
His body is heavy on hers and she loves the feeling more than anything.

Then he becomes serious "I don't want to scare or push you away so this is all new to me. Boundaries and these shenanigans are all a mystery to me… I never was with a woman more than once so… how do I know that you aren't getting tired of _me_?"

Bonnie smiles and moves her hands to his hair, tugging at it "I want you more with every day"  
Kol smiles like a little kid and she feels her heart ache with it.

Then he kisses her and all their doubts are gone, he doesn't have sex with her tonight, he makes love to her, all through the night.

He knows he is falling in love with her and yet as he holds her naked in his arms the next morning, he doesn't fight it at all.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

I got trouble – _Christina Aguilera _


	10. Revenge lives in the dark

_Caroline touches the dresses on the bed; she picks one and presses it against her body._

_She dreams of the day she will own something this pretty and tilts her head wondering if red is her color, she knows Klaus likes red._  
_"You should try it…" Rebekah says from the threshold._

_Caroline jumps startled "Oh I'm so sorry Rebekah…" She takes the dress back to the bed "I shouldn't be doing this I'm sorry, I'll just put them away"_

_"Wait…" Rebekah says with a smile and comes near the young girl._  
_Caroline stops on her way to her original task, to clean Rebekah's room "I got distracted with all the beautiful dresses… they are all so pretty Rebekah"_

_The other blonde girl smiles, she's only a year younger than Caroline but she looks flawless in her bright expensive dress and her curly hair._  
_"I was serious… you can try one of them if you want to"_

_Caroline's eyes light up "Are you serious Rebekah?"_  
_The blonde girl nods "You can try every dress I have and even keep one if you wish"_

_Caroline giggles nervous but hands back the pretty dress when she hears the heavy footsteps on the way to the room, the awful man is home._  
_"Are you talking instead of cleaning?" he stops annoyed by the door and with a heavy drunk voice._

_"I was on my way to put these dresses in the drawer Mr Mikaelson"_  
_He hiccups and comes inside the room, he cups Rebekah's face with a smile "Let the girl do her job Rebekah"_

_"You are drunk father" she says and pulls away from him, moving closer to Caroline._  
_Caroline isn't afraid of him, she knows he has naughty hands that try to touch her when they are alone but she doesn't like the disgusting look he is giving his daughter._

_"I'm almost done here Rebekah, you should go and see if my mother needs help with dinner"_  
_Mikael grabs Caroline's arm mad "Are you telling my daughter what to do?"_

_Caroline shakes her head "No sir…" she whispers._  
_Mikael isn't convinced and gets his arm in the air ready to slap the poor girl, Rebekah stops him by grabbing his big hand with both of her tiny ones "Don't father, don't hurt her"_

_Mikael shoves his daughter away furious and she bumps against her iron bed, she holds back the flinch as the pain rips through her delicate side._

_Caroline looks at the man fiercely, she knows that he is going to slap her until she bleeds but she keeps it together._

_"What's going in here?"_

_Both girls smile as they recognize the deep voice coming inside the room._  
_"Nik" Rebekah says and rushes to him._

_He smiles and strokes her arm, he then looks at the vile man holding Caroline's arm so strongly._  
_"Let her go father"_

_Mikael smiles and wipes his drunk drool "I might just teach this one how to respect me, since none of you useless pricks does"_  
_Rebekah touches Klaus arm, urging him to do something._

_"Let go of her now or I will make you throw up blood for the rest of the week"_  
_Mikael laughs slowly "Look at that… the insolent son that doesn't need my money wants to teach me a lesson now"_

_"That's right, I don't need anything from you"_  
_"You still living under my roof" he says with spit coming out in every direction._

_Klaus presses his jaw mad "Maybe I should just leave, I just turned 18"_  
_"No Nik… please…" Rebekah says clutching his arm in panic._

_Elijah comes up the stairs and joins the group concerned with the tension inside "Is there a problem in here? I can listen to the noise from downstairs"_

_Mikael pulls an annoyed face, he presses his lips together, one insolent bastard he can take, two and he might actually end up coughing blood._

_He shoves the girl away and then leaves the room spitting on the ground, at least she will have work to do besides sneaking her way into a friendship with his precious daughter._

_"Are you alright Caroline?" Klaus asks._  
_It takes her a second to assimilate that it is Klaus talking to her and not Elijah and that he actually knows her name._

_She only nods unable to speak and watches him smile and then turn to his sister fast._  
_He pulls her into his arms and she sniffles in them, Caroline looks down ashamed that she envies Rebekah so much._

_Elijah helps her get up and she resumes her chores as the three siblings leave the room._  
_Caroline glances over to Klaus, she can't keep her eyes off him._

_She moves closer to the door and watches as he goes downstairs with Rebekah and stays hidden, marveling her eyes upon his perfection._

_She has been secretly in love with him since she came to work with her mother and saw him laughing and talking in the bar with his friends._

_She is only 15 now but she knows what she wants, she wants him and she will wait for him._  
_No other will ever do for her and she will not rest until she is his._

* * *

Klaus kisses her neck slowly, stroking the soft skin of her bare legs wrapped around him.

It's hard to tame all the joy he feels that she's finally back in his old bed, in his room where they spent their first night together and so many before they parted ways.

Caroline moans and strokes the hair in the back of his head loving that his lips are trailing her neck so sweetly.  
He pulls the collar of his white shirt and kisses the soft skin on her shoulder.

"Nik…" she lets out in bliss.  
He smiles and pulls his lips away from her skin, searching for her mouth, she allows his tongue against hers and they share a long kiss that pulls another moan from her.

His hands trace her bare legs and then he lays her on the bed, she smiles stroking his bare back and he touches her chin "My beautiful demon"  
She gives him a smoldering look and runs her fingertips through his skin, setting him on blazing fire.

"My bed has been empty without you Caroline" he whispers taking his hand up her leg and inside his shirt, feeling her ivory skin.

She smiles that way that makes him want to rip his heart out because it hurts so much "My body has been dead without your touch Nik…" she kisses his hand that is on her cheek.

He licks his lips slowly and opens his shirt that covers her faultless body, she traps that red lip between her teeth and throws her head back when he starts kissing and caressing the exposed skin.

She waited so long to have him, then she lost him but now she doesn't intend to ever let him go.  
Caroline covers her mouth in a gush of passion that rips right through her, Klaus is a sweet devil that knows too well what his demon likes.

* * *

"Let me see if I got this straight, you want to buy all of our bootleg?" Kol asks with a hand in the air trying to understand this.

Tyler touches his suit "Yes… I know that you are already supplying more than half the city but I have big plans… I already bought a few other joints and I could use the gin and bourbon at a fair price"

"I need to talk to my brothers but I don't feel comfortable selling you more than we did to Donovan"  
Tyler throws a big chunk of money on the table smugly proving a point.

"That's just a few pocket dimes for me, my father owns this town's money and I could include you in the side business… your brothers don't have to know, your doll stays happy with all the shiny stuff you can buy her and I'll give you a share in all my sides"

Kol laughs and shakes his head, he takes his hat and leaves the table with the money and Tyler behind "I'm not interested. I'm a Mikaelson and we don't bow to anyone or betray the family. You should learn a thing or two about that before you go around throwing dimes"

He leaves the main floor and smiles at Bonnie that arrives with her coat ready to leave "Good night Tyler" she yells clueless to her boss.  
Tyler bows his head and takes the drink in his hand.

He watches as Kol helps his girl put the coat on and leave the Club.  
After a few minutes a man comes in the Club, his hat twirling in his hand.

He takes a seat at Tyler's table "Did the kid fall for it?"  
"No…" Tyler shakes his head "He has this loyalty towards his family"

"We all have our loyalties" Connor says and takes the money.  
Tyler taps his fingers on the table "What are you going to do?"

"You don't get to ask questions here Lockwood, I can shut this damn Club whenever I wish and pin Donovan's death on you"  
"I didn't pull that trigger" Tyler says upset.

"Apparently no one did, not the hot star of the Club, not the wet partner that opened the Club before the police even knew who wasn't warm anymore and certainly not the Mikaelson that claimed his gal as soon as Donovan became cold"

"Everyone had a beef with Donovan, he was a slimy bastard that slept around with every doll within his reach and pretended he was the next leader of Chicago"

Connor pours a drink slowly and sips on the exquisite bourbon "This town has too many leaders and pretty faces"  
"Long coats and bulls as well" Tyler lets out upset.

"Lockwood… play nice and everyone will be happy" Connor says enjoying his drink.  
"Why are you so interested in the Mikaelsons?"

Connor drops his empty glass with a vile smile "They hold the biggest underground business in town"  
"Isn't your job to try to pinch them?"

There is a big laughter that escapes his lips and Connor stands up "Bringing them all down to the bird house won't warm my pocket" he taps the money he just took from Tyler.

Tyler isn't too happy with the new deal; he needs to do something about this before it gets out of hand.

* * *

"What did Tyler want with you?" Bonnie asks as they make way to their house.

Kol tightens his arm around her shoulder and pulls her closer to him "I'm not sure but his entire talk was fishy and I need to speak to my brothers… I don't trust him… has he tried anything with you?" he suddenly asks her.

Bonnie smiles and takes her hand from inside her expensive coat and places it on his chest, no one ever cared enough to be this concerned over her and she loves the feeling.

"No and when he said I looked flapper in my new dress I warned him that my man would break his legs if he tried to touch me"  
Kol smirks "Your man huh?"

She slowly meets him with her intoxicating green eyes "I have no problem using my Moll status to keep men away"  
"Nifty" he says smugly.

They arrive to the street where they live and Jeremy is there waiting for Kol, Bonnie knows that she will be sleeping alone tonight.  
Kol traces her face slowly "Keep the bed warm for me gorgeous"

"Don't be too long… I'm not used sleeping in a bed so big" she smiles.  
Kol cups her cheek and brings his soft lips to hers "I'll be quick about the delivery but I still need to go see Nik and Elijah afterwards"

Bonnie is sneaky now that she knows how he feels about her and uses it, she traces his chest with her hand "I'll be waiting for you…" she bats those long lashes of hers "… with nothing on"

"Oh Bonnie that's mean… how am I supposed to hit on all sixes now that you planted that image in my mind?"  
Her bright red lips twist into a naughty smile "I know you will find a way"

He comes near her lips and gently presses his to hers, Bonnie quickly darts her tongue out wanting more and he presses her closer to him so he can fully respond to her demanding will.

It's a heated kiss that is able to warm them both standing outside the freezing night in Chicago.  
Bonnie strokes his back and wishes to find a way inside the shirt that keeps his body from her but she knows she has to wait.

Before he lets her go, he pushes her tongue inside her mouth and plays with her, teases and makes her moan with his sinful kiss.  
She wipes the red from his lips when they are done and smiles "See you later Sheik"

Kol laughs and watches her go inside the house, she gives Jeremy a smile that he shyly returns.  
He looks at Kol "That was some serious neck… you two don't know how to keep it on a low tune"

Kol smiles and gets inside the car "Are you razing me out of envy?"  
Jeremy pushes his coat closer to his bones "I need a girl"

Kol smirks with Jeremy's sad stance "You need to learn how to handle your gin first"  
Jeremy rolls his eyes, he isn't a kid anymore and one day they will see that.

* * *

Tyler checks the time in his gold watch strapped to his vest, it is early but he knows Room 21 is always open, he attempted to sleep but it is of no use, his mind is busy with concern and he rather reach out to the Chicago family than his father.

He finds Elijah sitting at a table sipping on coffee "Mind if I join you?"  
"The coffee is cold but the bourbon is hot" Elijah says and closes his long newspaper, he invites Tyler to sit down with his hand.

Tyler rests his hat on the table and takes the offer, Elijah snatches another cup for Tyler and eyes him wondering the reason behind this very early visit.

"Not that I'm complaining… mornings around here are always very slow but what do I owe the unexpected visit?"  
"I have a long coat problem" Tyler says gritting his teeth at the rough beverage.

"And you came to me? I'm flattered" Elijah says listening to the door open.  
Klaus joins the two of them with a bottle he fetches from the box.

Tyler suddenly wonders if this was such a good idea, he is inside a dark small room with two Mikeaelsons.  
"He's not just my problem… he is after Caroline and you" he points at Klaus.

Klaus easily smiles and lights one of his cigarettes "I suppose I'm not looking at the man who buried that silver inside Donovan's chest"

Tyler gulps down the stuff inside his mug "I didn't kill my partner. He was a slimy gun but I wouldn't waste a bullet on him"  
"Then why are you concerned with Connor? I'm not"

Tyler smiles "He's asking for rubs that I don't want to share with him"  
"But you were willing to share them with our brother Kol" Elijah says pouring some more bourbon.

So the kid didn't waste time telling them.  
"Connor set me out to do it, he wants a big share of all your profits in return for his silence and gracious looking away on all your beeswax"

Klaus takes his drink slowly "Maybe we should have a nice talk with him. Properly introduce him to Chicago"

Elijah smiles and opens his newspaper again, Tyler looks confused as the two brothers go quiet, this conversation is over and he has no idea if he has their support or not.

* * *

It's almost night and I rush down the street, her show is about to end and I don't want to miss it.  
I'm already late to see the Goddess that sings lying on a piano.

I cross the street and order a car to stop.  
The security at the door stops me "The club is full"

I frown "Don't be silly, let me in" I say and push my way inside but the man stops me again.  
I sigh mad "Do you know who I am?"

The son of a piker gives me a sarcastic smile "Inside this joint there are no coppers or bulls, just men drooling over Miss Forbes"

I press myself to him ready to take him down but maybe before I slam my head against his forehead I could just honey his hand.  
I pull a green and smile "Maybe the Club isn't that full…"

The security nods happy and takes the green "Go around back so I don't get into trouble"  
I'm not happy with the arrangement but Forbes gams are worth it, I really can't wait to see her again.

I go around back and I don't see anyone.  
I go to the door and push it open, I don't see the shiv until it's in my guts either.

I cringe and hold on to the man stabbing me and try to see his face but he gets out of my hold and pushes me outside, closing the door fast behind him.  
When I look at my bloody hand I know this wasn't to kill me, it was a warning.

I go back to the front door but the security is not the same.  
"Where's the other one?" I hiss.

The man gives me a look "What other one? I went to lose some water"  
I can feel everything boiling inside of me "Let me through"

"Are you bleeding?" he asks giving me a judging look on top of it all.  
I shove him aside and make my way inside, the Club is packed but I see all the faces I need to see.

The Mikaelson's are here, Caroline and even that useless Stefan Salvatore.  
"Are you alright?" A warm innocent voice asks beside me.

I look at the young girl with the blue eyes and dark coal hair "Sure"  
She smiles "You don't sound too well…"

I roll my eyes and go to the men's room to clean up, I push a towel to my wound and keep it together, I need to find who did this.

* * *

Elena takes everything in with big curious eyes "This is so different from our town"

Katherine laughs "Our town? We barely have any music let alone all this" she fixes her short straight bob.  
"Are you enjoying Chicago?" Elijah asks her softly.

She smiles and pushes her velvet hat down her head, hiding her blushing eyes "Yes… It's so different and alive"  
"Unlike you…" Katherine sighs.

Elena is serious and takes a sip from her gin, she coughs and apologizes sweetly.  
The image makes Elijah smile but drives Katherine away from the table.

"She's embarrassed of me…" Elena says straightening her long hair even more.  
"She's a fool then" Elijah says determined.

Elena feels a rush of heat come to her face and touches it "Elijah… will you dance with me? I haven't danced yet"  
"Of course Elena…" Elijah says and reaches his hand out for her.

She drops her small purse on the table and takes his hand, it's warm and strong and she gulps down.  
She should have finished that drink after all.

* * *

"Elijah is dancing with Elena" Rebekah tells Kol happy.  
Kol glances over to the dance floor "He's dancing with a distance, who dances with a distance these days?"

"Elijah…" Rebekah says frowning.  
Kol rolls his eyes and looks away "I bet he won't even kiss her"

Rebekah smiles and turns to face her young brother, she gives him a huge smile.  
"What?" he asks scared.

"How's things with Bonnie?" she asks excited.  
"The sex is amazing" he says slowly.

She huffs and shakes her head stealing his drink away "Stop pretending that she's just like all the others"  
Kol looks down and then at the girl easily flirting with a bunch of pills "She's… special"

"Uh my brother is in l.o.v.e" she teases him laughing.  
Kol laughs softly "It's not like that"

Rebekah laughs louder now "Are you sure? Because you never stayed with a girl more than two nights in a row"  
"How would you know that?" he asks annoyed.

"Because I know you" she points her finger at him.  
"I see this is making you all sappy" he says upset.

Rebekah nods but she isn't laughing now "You deserve to be happy Kol… we all do"  
He looks away from his sister but he is starting to believe that she is right.

* * *

"Stefan I want to dance" Katherine interrupts rudely his talk with Klaus.  
"Can it wait five minutes Kat?" he says slowly.

She shakes her perfect hair "No"  
Stefan looks at Klaus "Can we finish this later?"

"Sure… you should go before she shoots you" He tilts his head so he can give Katherine a smile.  
She does her best to give him a smile in return "Drop dead Nik"

"There have been many failed attempts" he teases her.  
She makes a repulse face "I wish you would have stayed in New Orleans"

"I wish my best friend would have picked my sister as his wife"  
Katherine clenches her teeth and shoots bullets with her eyes "Dry up Nik"

"Always a fine elegant woman" he says pushing her.  
She makes a go at him and Stefan holds her down "Wow Kat… ok… let's all take a moment to breathe"

"I hate you" she throws at Klaus.  
"Ummm… and I'm trying to look for an appalled expression" he says with an acid smile.

"Do something Stefan" she snaps at him.  
Klaus looks at his friend amused, he gives Klaus a judging look before grabbing Katherine and dragging her away.

She tries to free herself and has a spat with him right on the main floor.  
Klaus is highly amused by everything until Caroline shows up in her deep blue dress and folded arms.

"Yes sweetheart?" he asks her.  
"You need to move on from the fact that Stefan chose Katherine and that Rebekah chose Damon"

"And how well that all turned out" he says with a grumpy expression.  
She eases up on her stern ways and moves closer to him, she fixes his tie "Stefan loves Katherine"

"She's a Gold Digger and her dull boring sister is making a move on my virgin brother" Klaus scorns.  
Caroline smiles "Elijah seems to like her a lot"

"He likes any woman who is able to read" Klaus snaps and looks away upset.  
She touches his face and makes him look at her by gently turning his stubble to her "Stop being mean to the sisters"

"You are not the boss of me sweetheart" he says with a hint of a smile and a squint.  
Caroline displays her killer smile and moves those big eyes to him "Are we sure of that?" she whispers in a velvet voice.

Klaus brings her closer to him and she runs her hand down his chest and all the way to his back.

He can feel his excitement growing and he knows she's about to shut him down, because that's what Caroline does, she plays with him like he's a ragged doll.

He is about to kiss her, his breath is becoming one with hers when she rests her finger on his lips stopping him.  
She smiles wickedly and pulls away, his pack of cigarettes in her hand.

Klaus is confused but Rebekah arrives with two glasses of Gin and smiles "Girls night Nik…"  
He slumps in his seat watching Caroline light the cigarettes and taking one of the drinks.

Both girls make a toast and laugh, they wave at Klaus and go have their little party to which no one else is invited.

They smoke and dance and drink like they own all of Chicago and the truth is that all eyes are on the two breathtaking blondes that share old stories and laugh until they cry.

Klaus should be upset that he was traded for his sister tonight but he loves seeing his two girls happy and it is enough for him that Caroline will glance at him occasionally with all that love in her eyes.

He watches them dance until they get tired and drinks with Kol that is waiting for his girl to end her shift.

They are all busy watching the blondes stealing the night, Katherine fighting with Stefan and then kissing him like he is made of chocolate.

They share comments on Elijah's tactics to smooth his way with Elena, knowing that they won't kiss tonight.

Everyone is busy, too busy to notice Connor clutching a wound that he will digest with sweet cold slow revenge and more importantly to notice the man who sits in the back, away from every set of eyes.

The man with a dark coat and dark hat strategically covering his face and his baby blue eyes that don't leave Rebekah all night.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Scratch my back -_ Aurea_


	11. The ones that hide in the night

Two kids dodge the car running down the street as fast as they can, they scoop to the back alley and look for that little hole hidden behind the dumpster.

The sound coming from the inside makes their palms sweaty, they can hear the loud music and laughter, the glasses dancing around from hand to hand but that's not what they are looking for.

"Can you see her?" asks the one that has to be left out, the hole is small, discrete so that their secret isn't revealed.

A couple stepping out of a car makes them hold their breath but they are busy smooching and go straight to the front door not paying them any attention.

"Move" says the impatient one and shoves the other away.  
He wants to see her and his eyes sparkle when the blonde shows up on stage wearing a black steamy short number.

A fat man stops in front of the only way they have inside the Club but her voice fills the place and the floor noise ceases.

Chicago isn't a town of rules but inside the Green Mill when Caroline Forbes sings everyone listens.

The kid rests against the dumpster with his friend, he knows he won't be seeing anything else tonight but he can sure picture the blonde smoldering her way in that stage singing in such sweet velvet ways.

* * *

I leave the car parked in the back, I spot the two kids trying to see inside the Club and they make me smile, reminding me of the days Nik and I scooped in that same spot.

I laugh because we made that hole, thinking we had the view into the dressing rooms and instead we found the stage.

The security goon knows me and parts so I can go in, The Green Mill is a very different place now from my early years with Nik.

Now the chandeliers are big and bright, the curtains are red as the lust sold in here and the champagne goes around like its water.

The band is loud and hectic and everyone thinks they can dance now, if they can shake a feather then that has to mean something or so they think.

I'm offended by it because Nik and I spent years watching the early smooth talks of this town walk and behave, everything we know now comes from watching the men that built this town and brought the big game to it.

The ones Elijah grew up with and learned all his moves from.  
It's impossible not to go back to those afternoons Nik and I spent nagging Elijah to teach us how to dance properly, it helped that we were so eager to learn and that Rebekah loved dancing so much as well.

I smile at the pair of dolls that giggle when I make my way to the bar, they make fainting sounds mocking the way I straighten my black suit.

I find Nik by the Bar, away from all the commotion but still sizing his competition, every pill in this joint wants to touch the woman snapping her fingers and holding every heart beat in her rhythm.

Nik has always been jealous and Caroline is that kind of woman who can easily drive a man under a train.  
"Are you buying?" I ask dropping my hat next to Nik's.

He doesn't take his eyes away from the blonde that makes her way down to the middle of the audience, touching sweaty chests and foreheads of the big sharks that pay Tyler big rubes to have the front row seats.

"Only if you are finishing this bottle with me" he smirks and finally pulls away from her.  
"It has to be hard watching her make everyone drool like that"

Nik takes an empty glass from the new girl and pours me a generous drink that spills out "Nothing with Caroline is ever that easy"

I take the drink without blinking, we had so many of these that I think we are that immune to it "But she is doing what she loves"

Nik chuckles stopping his drink half-way to his mouth "She has you to be grateful for that"  
I sigh, he still hasn't forgiven me for pushing her into singing and warming the Donovan's pillow.

"It wasn't that much of a sacrifice Nik… I think her only burden was enduring the dead kid…"  
Nik doesn't answer me and has his drink harshly, it's a good thing he has his back on the action.

Caroline is sitting on top of a table showing her long legs, even for me it's hard to stay indifferent to it.

"I have no problem in punching you again Stefan so stop looking at Caroline like that" Nik tells me between clenched teeth.  
I laugh and turn to him "Nothing gets by you…"

"Connor is sitting in one of the front tables…" he easily fills our glasses again.  
"He isn't part of the investigation anymore, one of the reasons I came here tonight. Apparently it was one of the choir girls that shot Donovan, he was trying out the girls and one of them obviously expected a lot more than she got from a trip to his office. She turned herself in last night and we should wrap the case soon"

Nik licks his lips cautiously and looks at me "Then what's he still doing around, hanging dry for my woman?"  
"I don't know but I have a strong feeling you know why he has been clutching his belly for the last days"

Nik smiles with that darkness that tells me everything I need to know "Caroline just ended her show, I'll talk to you later Stef" he takes the bottle with him and goes wait for her in the dressing room.

I clutch my drink, I don't know how we ended in the opposite sides of the law but I know where my loyalty rests, I just don't know at what cost.

Rebekah smiles at some poor bastard that kisses her hand hoping that she gives him more than the taste of her glove.

But Rebekah is a devil that wears white and retrieves her hand and comes to me carrying a gin in one hand and a cig in the other.

"All alone Mr Salvatore? No date tonight?" she openly flirts with me.  
I smile "My wife wasn't feeling well tonight"

"Lies…" she laughs at my words "Bank's closed so you decided to come to the Club looking all spiffy to make her jealous"  
I laugh "Katherine has a temper but there's nothing like a good storm"

Rebekah finishes her drink and leaves the glass on the counter, she strokes my chin as she leaves "Good night baby face"  
"Good night gorgeous" I say and smile but it pains me to see the sad sparkle on her eyes.

* * *

"_Are you even serious?" Nik asks appalled.  
Stefan shakes his head "Don't look so surprised, my father is a copper, what did you expect? That I went to sell milk?"_

_"No… but… really?" He looks as disappointed as Stefan expected him to be._  
_"Are you going to turn against me now you bastard?" Stefan pushes him mad._

_"No" Klaus says and shoves his hands inside his pockets "But I can't be your best friend anymore"_  
_Stefan huffs "You don't have to get all dramatic"_

_Klaus keeps walking back to his house "I can't believe you are going to do this"_  
_"You know how my father is… and he wants me and Damon to follow his steps"_

_Klaus chuckles amused "Are you going to hang out by the coffee shop and get wasted after your shift as well?"_  
_Stefan grimaces "Damon refuses to do as my father wishes, he wants to be a journalist or a drugstore cowboy for all I know…"_

_"And you as the good obedient son will give up being a doctor to become a bull" Klaus stops in front of the door upset._  
_Stefan sighs "This will not come between us Nik… we've been friends since I can remember"_

_"This is not how I pictured our bright future Stef" He replies sad and goes inside the bar._  
_Stefan sighs, he knows that Klaus feels all alone now._

_They have been building a very nice scheme on the side and Stefan knows that Klaus trusts him like a brother, more sometimes and this is a huge blow for him._

_Their friends are waiting inside, though friends is a loose word when it comes to Klaus, he talks and drinks with a lot of people but he keeps a shiv ready in his pocket to use at all times._

_He offers Stefan a drink "Promise me that our friendship will still come first between us"  
Stefan takes the drink "Forever and always Nik…" he says joining his glass with Klaus._

_The group makes fun of them and calls them sweethearts but Stefan knows how much they have been through and he would take a bullet for Klaus without blinking._

_They make easy jokes and forget about the previous talk, Klaus is also very assertive, he doesn't linger on things._  
_What is done is done._

_Stefan has him telling the story of how he has been tormented by a new baby in the Club that changed owners again._  
_Klaus is deeply invested in his storytelling when he suddenly stops._

_Everyone notices how his eyes seem to widen and how he blanks out from the ongoing conversation following someone making their way inside._  
_Stefan frowns, it's just Caroline but Klaus seems to have seen baby Jesus itself._

_He can't understand why Klaus is looking at the pretty blonde like he's seeing her for the first time but he doesn't get the chance to ask him because Klaus goes after her as she starts making her way upstairs._

_Only now Stefan notices the way Caroline fixes her blonde hair and smiles at Klaus with bright red lips._

_"Do you need help?" Klaus asks Caroline from the bottom of the stairs._  
_"No thanks Mr. Mikaelson" she says with that smile and resumes her pace._

_Klaus quickly follows her up the stairs "Please I'm only 19, you are making me feel like I'm as old as my father"_  
_Caroline chuckles and drops the grocery on the kitchen table "I didn't mean to offend you… Klaus"_

_He smiles at her and leans over the table watching her "Call me Nik…"_  
_She hesitates with the bread before putting it away in the right place "Okay…"_

_He likes that her voice is nothing more than a whisper now, she looks terribly adorable all blushing._  
_"How come I never noticed you before Caroline?" he asks her bluntly._

_She laughs softly taking the rest of things from the bag "You were very busy sneaking your dolls into your room without Elijah's knowledge"_

_Klaus laughs loudly at her remark and helps her put away the things she bought "I must have been blind obviously to miss such an exquisite beauty"_

_She touches her wavy blonde hair and her red lips give him a small shy smile, she slowly faces him "As I said… you were busy… Nik"_

_Klaus feels like he has been sleeping all this time, he can't even remember how old she is, he knows that she's a kid, she has been with the family for so long that he learned to see her as a baby sister that he didn't have contact with._

_He knows that she has a crush on him, he has caught her sneaking glances at him and smelling his clothes but he has always seen it all as a silly kid infatuation until now._

_Inside this kitchen, wearing this red dress and looking at him with these huge curious eyes, Caroline looks like a woman and he feels compelled to know all about her, she smiles and tugs her perfect waves behind her ear._

_"I need to start making dinner…" she says with another smile that is nothing short but mesmerizing._  
_"I'll help you" he says quickly._

_Caroline laughs and her body shakes with will, Klaus smiles showing his dimples and knows he might have been sleeping but he is very awake now._

* * *

"Ummm…" she moans tired, making perfect circles on his chest.  
Klaus hand is leisurely on her back, making a pattern of its own.

She smiles and keeps her eyes closed in bliss "I love how you take your jealousy out on me Nik..."  
He chuckles bitterly "Is that why you are taking such liberties with your acts? They are getting edgier by the day"

Caroline smiles evilly "You caught me Nik… you saw right through my very evil plan…" she moves her head and rests her chin on his sweaty chest, red with signs of her passion, though his back is in much worst shape.

He is serious and cups her face "I hate having to share you with every wannabe in this town"  
She kisses his chest "It's not for them that I dance and sing. It's all for you Nik… every note, every move, every dress I pick, it's all for you… my sweet Nik"

He holds her close to him and moves them on the couch inside her dressing room, her naked body is now under him for the second time tonight "Then why do you taunt me so?"

She strokes his stubble that left her ivory skin red as well "Because I love how you make sure I remember who I belong to"

Klaus knows it's his name that she purrs under him and that its him that she claims with the same passion as he takes her but still that raging jealousy lives inside of him.

They are all dreaming and craving for the demon beneath him, soothing his burning back with her delicate palms "They should all know who you belong to as well"

Caroline becomes serious, she moves her hand to his chest and touches that scar over his heart, the little circle left from a bullet that scratched it too close to a certain death.

"I said no the first time and when you walked away you swore you would never ask me again" she says with tears dancing in her eyes.

"I know what my betrayed heart said that day but being away from you for 10 years was enough punishment for a lie that I want to take back"

Caroline smiles and strokes his cheek.  
"But before I want you to tell Dominic that I'm his father" Klaus presses again.

"I will…" she tells him again.  
But Klaus doesn't let her off the hook this time, he presses his lips into a thick line "If you don't tell him Caroline, I will"

She nods knowing that she can't keep postponing this and strokes his hair "I will tell him soon, I promise"  
She feels him relax and places her hand on his neck bringing him closer to her, she nibbles on those full lips of his and then pulls his bottom lip trapped between her teeth.

He moves his hand to her lower back pressing her to him and she gasps releasing his lip.  
Now if only it was that easy to keep her control over him when they make love.

She can make him work hard to get a good kiss from her but she's as vulnerable as snow melting under the cold rain of Chicago when he looks at her with those blue eyes of his.  
More deadly than all the heat he keeps inside his coat.

* * *

"Good night John" Bonnie tells the blonde man waiting for Caroline by the car.  
"Good night toots" John affectionately tells her pulling his hat down.

He claps his hands next, trying to keep warm during another really icy night.  
It's obvious that Caroline is taking her time with Klaus tonight and Bonnie smiles, she can't remember seeing her friend so happy.

Well, honestly, she can't remember being as happy as she is herself.

She closes her heavy expensive coat around her small body, she puts her gloves on, the latest gift from Kol shinning around her wrist above the glove.  
A bracelet made of green emeralds, the man has lost his mind but she's not complaining.

Bonnie moves to the other side of the street to wait for him, she makes her way through small pools of rain that seem there strictly to make her jump in her black heels.

She checks the road but the Club is closing and there aren't any cars around, she dodges a rather big pool of rain but a car shows up from nowhere, she freezes in the middle of the road covering her face from the intense lights, the car stops inches away from taking her life.

She is breathing heavy, the hostile brake releases smoke and a foul smell that makes her cover her nose.  
"BONNIE" John rushes to her and takes her arm "Are you alright?"

She only nods and moves because John makes her walk, they reach the sidewalk and John is calling names to the man behind the wheel.  
The window comes down and she watches him with a frown.

"I'm sorry Miss Bennett… I missed you there, you better be careful next time you cross a street" Connor says with an acid smile.

John is calling him all the less kind names he can think of but Connor isn't paying him any attention, he is looking at Bonnie and then he drives away.

Bonnie feels more shaken now after the unspoken threat than when she was about to turn into part of the asphalt.

* * *

Caroline leaves her satin shoes outside his room, she slowly comes inside smiling with the image instantly.

Dominic is sleeping with one leg out of the warmth of the sheets and cover.  
She gently tugs his leg in and pushes the sheet a bit higher to cover his chest when she notices the shiny piece around his neck.

Caroline takes her glove off and picks the silver necklace with the small pendent; she strokes it with her thumb and smiles when she opens it and finds her face trapped inside.

"He gave him that today…"  
Caroline closes it and loses her smile, she can pick up on the acid in her mother's voice.

She leans over and kisses Dominic's warm cheek, she strokes his wild blonde hair and he moves in his sleep.

His hand unconsciously searches for the new item and clutches it, there is a smile in the boy's lips as he turns on his side and sighs in his soothing sleep.

Caroline leaves his room quietly but can't escape her mother that follows her to the bedroom.  
"Did you hear what I said Caroline?" her mother insists again.

"Yes mother" Caroline says upset.  
Liz shakes her head while Caroline starts undressing "Now he is giving him things, it's not enough that he already takes him to school every day, now he's buying him off with gifts… just like he did with you"

Caroline gives Liz a stern look "He did not buy me with gifts mom"  
"No? That's not how he… won you over?"

Caroline shakes her head slowly "He did give me a gift mom… it's sleeping in the other room smiling in his sleep probably dreaming of a father I kept from him because you told me it was the right thing to do"

"Don't try to pin this on me now" Liz clutches her hands together "It was for the best… my unmarried daughter carrying a child of the gangster… that would have been a disaster to handle"  
"Is that all you care about mom? What others will think?"

"You were left alone pregnant of one the Mikaelsons. God only knows how hard it was to convince everyone that you were married to a soldier that went to war days after your wedding and died there…"

Caroline lost track of the times she had this conversation with her mother for the last 10 years, she releases her stockings and gets ready for bed in silence.

"You have to do something about this…" Liz says quietly but judging her daughter still.  
Caroline pushes her stockings down with a smile "I'm telling Dominic the truth"

"You can't" Liz gives a step forward in instinct.  
Caroline throws her stockings to the side and unclasps her tight body suit mad "You can't stop me, Dominic is my son and I will do what's best for him"

"Telling him that his father is a criminal is what's best for him?"  
Caroline throws her hands in the air "Fine mom, Nik is a criminal. His entire family is into everything illegal that goes down in this town but that didn't stop you from working with them"

Liz closes her wool jacket "I worked for them… yes but I did not go around warming their sheets"  
"My one true big crime, I fell in love mom" Caroline says with a hoarse voice, filled with pain that she keeps for her mother that never understood.

Even now she scorns Caroline's words with a laughter.

"I fell in love with him the very first time I saw him, I didn't even know what love was and I was already in love with him. I wanted him and I waited for him and when he finally saw me it was everything. It was beautiful and magical and he loved me back with passion and a love that was intense. But you made sure our life was never easy. You tried to keep me away from him but it didn't work then and it won't work now"

Liz purses her lips but she's not mad now, she's concerned "It's not a good idea to make public that Dominic is his son, they have too many enemies and they always go for the family to prove a point"

Caroline looks down on the floor, that's the one reason she hasn't come clean with her son yet.  
She knows her mother is right.

Liz smiles warmly at Caroline now "I was just trying to keep my daughter safe, a man like Klaus is half blood and half bootleg and that's not what I wanted for you Caroline. I had a dead husband and a baby to raise as well and God only knows I tried to do what was best for you"

Liz turns around and leaves the bedroom and Caroline that clutches her stomach feeling sick, the talk has left her shaken and she has to sit down.

She feels nauseated and grabs the sheets of her cold bed, she's never been so sure of anything before, she needs to bring her family together but she doesn't want to put Dominic in danger.

* * *

Liz hands the man money to pay for the ride "Keep the change" she says and steps out into the cold night.

She tugs her warm jacket closer and the long scarf around her head, she sees his car and rushes down the street.

She gets inside without looking at him "She's with him again... the second he got back to this town..." she shakes her head upset.

"I tried to bump him off once, I can easily have it done again"  
She smiles with the determination in his voice and looks at him "Did you have Donovan fixed as well?"

The man leans over and his strong features show before the dim light on the street, there is a smile "I couldn't have my daughter being mocked by that washed out kid that was sleeping around with the girls inside the Club"

Liz pushes her scarf down and smiles "Of course it had nothing to do with your son taking over the Club now..."

He touches Liz chin playfully "Do you want me to take care of that Mikaelson beef for you?"  
She cups his cheek and comes closer so she can kiss him "Yes Richard"

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Why don't you do right – Peggy Lee & Benny Goodman


	12. A lover's way

_She is kissing him back with the same will and like all other times he finds it hard to resist taking things further._

_They have been together for a year now and still he has kept things only in the kissing department._  
_Caroline is young, too young for him or maybe he is the one too old for her._

_And a no-good criminal that will never please her mother but he really has no choice, the girl stole his heart and he finds himself obsessed over her._

_With her ways, the smiles, the looks, the way her lips are so perfect and how fast she learned how to kiss._

_She brings him to shame now as her teacher as she runs her tongue over his slowly and then waits for him to chase her._

_That's all he seems to do since that day in the kitchen when he finally noticed her._  
_Caroline made him run after her for an entire year before she agreed to go out to the Club with him, he kissed her on the lips in the city park on their way home._

_The next night he kissed her again standing on the same park and by the third night he really kissed her._  
_Caroline was dizzy when he finished but the truth was that he was shaken by it as well._

_They became an item after that night, there was nothing he didn't do without telling her and she really became everything to him._

_Slowly they part away from another kiss and she smiles at him._  
_Klaus touches her swollen lips, they lost track of how long they have been kissing in his bedroom._

_It's the only place they can be alone without being bothered, no one comes to his room without his permission and she always sneaks back out when everyone is sleeping._

_But tonight she doesn't seem in a hurry and plays with his hair, caresses his scruff with her fingertips and then whispers "I love you"_

_He smiles like a child so happy to hear it because he feels the same way about her, he doesn't even care for other women now and seems blind to everything that doesn't include her._  
_Even Stefan complains that he only has time to spend with the new diamond._

_Caroline slowly takes the pocket watch lying on the bed inside his vest and opens it with a smile, he fears that she will say her goodbyes now._  
_"It's midnight Nik…" she whispers._

_"Caroline… love… it's your birthday" he remembers with a smile._  
_She becomes serious and nods._

_"I got you a necklace" he says excited and moves away from her to fetch for it but she stops him._  
_Klaus frowns at her "What is it love?"_

_"I know what I want for my birthday"_  
_He is lost at her whispered ways._

_"I want to be yours" she says and strokes the back of his neck under the white shirt that is casually opened half way down his chest._

_Klaus is battling, he can't ignore the part of him that screams that she would have a fair chance with someone else but God damn it, he is head over heels with this woman, so in love that he is in pain._

_Caroline is stern on her determination and opens the simple dress she is wearing tonight._  
_She is beautiful and the way her chest raises and falls following her unsteady breath is leaving him powerless to her._

_But he does it, he pulls the opened dress closer to her body and covers her, the shock shows right in her face and she grabs the fabric with her shaking hand._

_"You don't like me… I'm sorry I'm not prettier…" she says with tears in her eyes and looks away from him._

_Panic comes over Klaus and he takes her cheek making her look at him "No" he says sternly "You are perfect Caroline and I love you"_

_She clasps her lips ready to cry nonetheless "Then why don't you want me?"_  
_"You deserve better than me Caroline" he tells her, even if the truth is ripping through him, she needs to know her options._

_"I don't want anyone else Nik…"_

_Her whispered voice, the love in her eyes, leave him weak and he's not fighting her when she opens the rest of his shirt._

_But the fire that brings out a sharp breath begins when she traces his chest with her hands._  
_There is a smile of happiness in her, she wants this more than he can even imagine and they kiss sealing the night that she has been waiting since she fell in love with him._

_She closes her eyes as he kisses her skin, she can feel her dress leaving her body but she can't focus with the heat coming from deep inside her._

_His hands are caressing her and he is taking his time kissing every perfect inch of her ivory skin._  
_Caroline has to grab the pillow above her head, she never felt anything remotely like this and she wasn't ready for the overwhelming sensations._

_There is a pause and she is breathing heavy and searches for him, Klaus strokes her cheek with a smile._

_She can barely answer him unable to concentrate with her pounding heart beating in her ears, she lost track of time as well but knows he has been kissing and sending heaps of bliss through her entire body for very long now._

_Klaus kisses her, long and slow, she pulls his hair because she feels her body tingling in strange amazing ways and she has this untamed need to be closer to him, to have him._

_But he kisses her again and this time she moans loudly into his mouth as his hands find the aching body beneath him._

_Klaus slowly breaks the kiss allowing his tongue to taste her bottom lip slowly and Caroline does what her body demands, she presses herself to him, wanting more of him._

_Klaus trails her chin then kisses her neck and Caroline throws her head back lost in an aching that she just can't explain._

_He faces her again stroking her burning cheek and gulps down, his breath is hot against hers and he is breathing hard, uncontrolled._

_She looks at him wondering how she can leave him this way, when she knows nothing can unsettle Klaus unless he wants it._

_Again she is overwhelmed that she might be the one messing so much with him and for a moment they just look at each other._

_When he finally moves, there is a soft whimper and then she completely surrenders to him and to everything exploding inside of her._

_The more he moves closer to her the more she wants him close and she has no idea if it's normal to be making all the sounds she is making and pressing his back the way she is but she can't help the pleasure overpowering her._

_It all comes to an almost painful end as she is left dizzy and weak, shivering under him._  
_Caroline traces his back noticing how it isn't smooth as before because she scratched him without realizing it._

_They look at each other and she smiles at him, nothing in her life will ever be as perfect as this moment._

* * *

"I'm going to find him and I'm going to kill him" Kol says again pacing around their living room.

Bonnie looks at Klaus, she sent for him to try to calm Kol but so far the older one has done nothing and she's starting to lose patience.

"Do something" she finally snaps at him.  
Klaus knows Kol too well, he needs time to calm down or he won't listen to anyone.

He has a short temper and an easy trigger but honestly he hasn't seen his brother this agitated and he can't help the smile.

Kol is about to go down on a hunt for this Connor and offer him a one way trip to the bottom of the river for the little stunt he pulled with his gal.

Klaus catches the annoyed look on Bonnie's face but she doesn't understand his happy smile.  
"Fix a couple of drinks Bonnie, I need to talk to my brother alone"

The words leave not only Bonnie upset but also Kol and Klaus has his confirmation, Kol is in love.

"You are in my house now brother, nothing will be said or done without Bonnie being in the room"  
Klaus smirks "Your house?"

Kol sighs; he knows Klaus is only pushing him now "Just say what's eating you"

"The way I see it, Connor only went after your pearl because he wanted to rub us all in the wrong places but I'm not worried. He knows who he has against him and he never meant to really harm her"

Bonnie comes closer to Kol and traps his face "He's right, it was only a threat and I'm just scared you might grab a bat and go after him to only end up hurt on some alley. We shouldn't give him that much attention, he's no one"

"Spoken like a true moll" Klaus grabs his hat and places it bending it forward that way that covers his blue eyes.

Bonnie smiles not taking her eyes from her tough gangster with a soft heart "The Mikaelsons do not bend to no one. If he is serious let him come to us instead and then I'll hand you the bat myself"

"We sure know how to pick them" Klaus mumbles with a happy smile closing the front door behind him aware that the kissing couple hasn't even noticed he left.

* * *

Caroline watches the kids running as they try to leave school as fast as possible.  
She smiles when a few of them try not to bump into her so eager that they are to get away to the rare sunny afternoon.

But her biggest smile shows when the blonde kid with the blue eyes shows up, Dominic doesn't run, he swags his way to her.  
There is no rush to the boy who stops in front of her.

"Don't smoosh me" he says frowning and she knows how serious he is.  
"Of course not… how was your day Dominic?" she asks knowing he would throw a fit if she called him pumpkin in public.

"It was good" he shrugs casually.  
They both make way down the street and when he is far away from his school and into safety Dominic searches for her hand and smiles.

Caroline laughs at his ways "Do you also keep your distance from Nik when he brings you to school in the morning?"

Dominic smiles "He knows how important this is and he never stands too close to me" He looks up at her "And he calls me Nic which is funny because he is Nik as well"

The boy laughs and Caroline doesn't resist stroking his soft blonde hair, he sounds just like him when he laughs.  
"Dominic… do you know what a white lie is?"

The boy kicks a tiny rock on their way and shrugs "A lie that isn't really a lie or something. Gran tried to explain me once but I can't remember"

She stops them and moves them closer to a shop that is closed, they should be away from nosy people and she needs time to explain him.

Dominic frowns when she bends her knees and becomes of the same height than him.  
"A white lie is when we say something to protect someone, to keep from hurting them"

Her voice is soft and sweet and he smiles nodding "I understand mommy"  
She strokes his beautiful face "Mommy has something to tell you but I don't know how"

The boy clutches his school bag "You are scaring me mommy"  
She smiles to make that worried face go away and leans over kissing his cheek.

"Don't be pumpkin… you might just like what I have to tell you"  
A smile shows in his lips and Dominic nods again "Okay mommy"

She stands up and takes his hand again, she is set on it now.  
He deserves to know the truth.

They are busy with his tales of some boy being rude to the teacher and cross the street followed by two men wearing long coats and hats.

It could be just two random men in Chicago but Caroline notices that when she turns the corner they do the same.

The fact that they so slowly walk behind her lazy pace with her son leaves her worried and she has to think fast.

Dominic complains when she squeezes his small hand in hers and she smiles nervously at him "I feel like having a hot chocolate"

"Yummy" Dominic licks his lips and eagerly goes inside the first place they find.  
Caroline leads him towards a table and waits for the men to come in but they camp outside having a smoke.

Dominic can't decide between hot chocolate and a big ice-cream and she leaves him with the menu coming to the counter.

"Do you have a telephone?" she asks keeping an eye on the two men now tossing away their cigs and making way inside.

"Hey doll" they find a place near her and one of them drops the hat over the counter.  
Caroline holds her own and tries to ignore them.

"I think I know you from the Club… I remember seeing you on some piano"  
"You must be mistaking me with someone else" she says without looking at them.

One of them laughs and moves his head so he can see her long legs better "Yeah… that was you toots. Using those keys like it was a bed" he licks his lips when she faces him.

One thing is seeing her with some shady red light and the other is having a privilege sight to her perfect cleavage.  
"Leave me alone" she says drily and he can tell she's not that shaking about this.

"Don't get your shimmies all up in a heat, we just want to talk" the other one says and she spots him glancing at the table where Dominic is happily laughing with a sweet old lady taking his order.

Now Caroline has two choices here, she can flirt her way out of this by pulling the two gorillas to her and away from her son or she can just go with her other option.

Caroline looks at the old man behind the counter, she decides for plan B and asks for a gin.  
She takes the cold drink knowing they are closing in on her, after a slow sip from the strong stuff she finally speaks.

"Do you know who I am?"  
"Are we playing games now long legs? I just said that you work at the Green Mill"

Caroline's red lips curve into a smile "I'm Klaus Mikaelson's woman"

She can sense the two large men twitching in their shoes and she faces the quiet one knowing he is the brains among the duo.

"And that kid sitting over there is his son"  
The man visibly is affected by his pendant cruel fate if he so much as touches a hair on either of the blondes but he has no choice.

He moves his long coat and Caroline sees the gun sparkling at her.  
"It's nothing personal toots but someone paid me the big rubs to steer a few leaves out of the way"

The old man behind the counter rests a big gun on it loudly and all eyes drift to him, including Caroline's.

"Think about this son. The Mikaelsons will hunt you down and there won't be a rock big enough to hide your slimy skin that Klaus himself will peel and burn with you still alive and begging for a mercy that he won't show because you dared to touch what belongs to him"

Caroline looks at the man clutching his coat, he looks scared.  
Good.

"I'd run if I were you… I'll even give you both a head start before I sent him after the two of you" she says confident that the man is cracking in front of her.

The other one is so nervous on her other side that she fears he will wet himself "Come on Vaughn… think about this… I heard that half this town's buildings are standing above missing beefs that crossed them, I'm not keen on messing with the Mikaelson's… let alone with Klaus"

Caroline takes her drink casually waiting for them to flee and breathes when they finally grab their hats and run away from a devil that will not rest until he finds them.

Her hand is shaking when she puts the glass down and the old man touches it soothing her "I've known Nik since he was a little fish selling me cigs on the side, you will be safe here with your son"

Caroline smiles and looks at Dominic oblivious to everything and happily digging a spoon into the really big ice-cream in front of him.

* * *

I smile because his hand is on mine and his chest is bare on my back and I feel excited because he is teaching me how to handle a gun.

He taught me how to take the safety off and now he is teaching me how to aim properly and if I had a shark in front of me I would just squeeze that trigger.

I giggle because he whispers in my ear to picture one of the annoying fat pills that try to grope me every day at the Club.

"Like this?" I ask unable to concentrate because his hands are slowly finding way to my waist.  
"That's it darling… keep those green eyes on the man you want to bump off…" he kisses my neck and I close my eyes.

I know he is smirking because I can feel his breath tickling my skin and his hands move to the side of my dress giving way to his eager ways.

"What do I do now?" I ask in a low whisper followed by a gasp because he is pulling my dress up.  
"You pull that trigger darling" he whispers in my ear and his hot breath sends me on a lost journey.

I know that the gun isn't loaded but I'm still shaking in a strange excitement when I bring my finger closer to me and the gun gently kicks in my hand.

Something must be wrong with me or maybe I'm just falling into a place that was mine to claim.  
I move to look at him and he instantly kisses me, darting his tongue inside my mouth without introduction.

I can feel his hand searching mine and he takes the heavy gun away from me and into the ground, my dress follows as we pull away from the kiss.

I can feel his excitement matching mine and I'm not shy either; if there is one thing I'm sure of is that I want Kol like I never wanted any man before and my hands work on removing the clothes between us as well.

As we kiss our way to the bedroom I know that we won't make it to the bed, I know that Kol is going to take me against the wall or the first hard surface he finds and my entire body is shivering in anticipation.

* * *

Caroline smiles at Dominic sitting on the table happily finishing his ice-cream, she feels her heart become alive when a familiar car stops by the door.

She comes down from her stool with a jolt when _his _car arrives and she holds back emotional tears when he rushes inside the coffee place.

He takes her immediately into his arms and Caroline closes her eyes soothed by everything that Klaus is.

"Are you alright?" he asks and she can sense all the concern in his voice.  
Quite the scare she must have given him with her call but she was worried for Dominic, not herself.

She doesn't want to but she pulls away from him and nods, he claps his lips into a thin line upset that she was in danger and then looks at the table.

The little boy is fighting with a final piece of melted chocolate that refuses to leave the bottom of the long glass, he clasps his lips in the same eerie way than his father and then smiles in a sneaky way.

Dominic takes the cup into his mouth finally winning the apparent lost war.  
"NIK" He puts the glass down excited to see the man heavenly close to his mother.

He secretly hopes he will come back to the house and make pancakes again.  
Klaus comes to the table leaving Caroline briefly, he crouches in front of the boy "I came to take you and your mommy to my house"

"Are we having dinner there?" he asks with a smile.  
"Yes" Klaus says with a small smile and Dominic looks at his mother.

She smiles and nods assuring him that everything is fine.  
He grabs his school bag and then stands up, he takes Klaus hand with a smile "Ok"

Klaus ruffles his hair slightly and then the boy does what he has been dying to do, he takes his mother's hand and smirks between the couple.

* * *

Kol watches Bonnie sleep; he really can't get enough of it.  
He loves doing this because she always looks so peaceful and beautiful.

It's dark inside their bedroom but he can still see her smile and his eyes are busy scanning her perfect face.

She genuinely looked surprised that he took his time today with her and that it had been on their bed.  
This was a first to him as well but she was worth the change in his ways because when he was with her, all that pain he felt was gone and for the first time Kol feels a spark of happiness rising inside of him.

There is a soft moan in her sleep and he smiles touching her face, outlining that smooth skin.  
Slowly Bonnie wakes from her tired sleep, he is tired as well but he just can't stop looking at her.

"Stop…" she mumbles "… look at the wall or something" she groans.  
Kol chuckles and cups her cheek, stroking it "Don't be silly darling"

She keeps those green eyes on him and touches his hand still on her face "Kol…"  
He gulps down knowing what she is about to say and suddenly he is scared, he doesn't deserve to listen to the words.

So he bends over and kisses her, a soft but long kiss on her lips, he hopes one day he will be able to listen to these words feeling that they belong to him.

* * *

Jeremy finishes his drink and drops the greens on the table, the new girl April takes it at once and smiles when she notices the big tip.

Kol has taught him that a real man drinks big but tips bigger and now that he can hold the bootleg easily he is eager to prove himself to his mentor.

"Are you leaving already Jeremy?" she asks with a big smile.  
He smiles easily back, the girl is really pretty and he likes the red flower she has on her black hair tonight.

"I have to get up early"  
"I'm ending my shift soon" she says taking his empty glass.

He doesn't react the way she expects because there is a big commotion near them, some old lady is pushing some kid away.

He is making fun of her and she tries to walk away but trips, Jeremy is fast to catch her and when she smiles at him, he notices how drunk she is.

"The gin in here is really strong" she says with a hiccup.  
Jeremy laughs "You know what they say, when the piano is hot, the gin is cold and dry"

She tries to fix her black feather now sliding down her blonde hair.  
"Mom" Tyler takes her arm and supports her "What are you doing here?"

Jeremy hasn't seen him all night so he probably only arrived now and just in time for the main attraction tonight.  
"I got this" he tells Jeremy taking his mother to the office.

"You are welcome" Jeremy mumbles and goes outside.  
He closes his coat and nods at the man by the door "Night Ed"

"Night kid, stay out of the cold" he teases Jeremy and grabs a cigarette.  
Jeremy shoves his hands inside the coat, it's still early but he is taking over Kol's dawn shifts now that the Mikaelson has a hard time leaving the warm bed and the beautiful girl warming it.

"Hey Jer" April shouts running after him.  
He stops to look behind finding it funny the way she runs in her heels.

"You forgot your hat" she hands him the flat piece and he smiles.  
"Thanks April"

She looks at him like she isn't done and he waits for the rest but there is a car coming down the street really slow and he grows suspicious of it.  
"Jer?" she asks noticing how strange he looks.

He can't keep his eyes away from the car and when that window pulls down, he catches a glimpse of the black machine gun.

Jeremy grabs April and roughly pulls them down on the ground behind another parked car as the one on the road speeds down sending a wave of bullets his way.

It all happens too fast and when the car drives away Jeremy sees blood, he just doesn't know if it's his or April's.

* * *

"Elijah is talking to the coppers on our payroll, they should find the fellas for me" he says between clenched teeth of anger.

Caroline knows that here they are safe so she's not worried and comes closer to him, she takes his scruffy face into her hands "You can relax now Nik"

"Connor went after Bonnie as a warning and now someone sends goons after you and …" he shuts down and licks his lips looking at the boy busy with his homework and Kol's old baseball ball.

Dominic doesn't really know why they are here but he isn't complaining, he actually likes the dark place, the big table where he is now has a small inclination and he is having fun by placing the ball on top and watch it slide all the way down, he catches it as it is about to fall and does it all again.

Caroline steals Klaus attention again by making him look at her "I know you would never let anything happen to us" she says with a smile and still warming his strong features.

"I'll have someone watching your house and walking with you and Dominic around when I can't"

She knows he is giving her no choice in this but she doesn't mind, again what matters is Dominic and this is what pushes her forward.

Her mother is wrong, being with Klaus publicly is not what will put her son in danger, it's what will protect him.

Caroline comes closer to him and kisses him sure of what she's doing.  
She runs her fingers through his hair and enjoys the taste of whiskey so strong in him, she forgets for a moment Dominic might be watching them and searches the warmth of his mouth with passion.

His reply has passion as well and he takes the back of her neck holding her close to him, when she pulls away from him she smiles "We need to talk to Dominic"

The boy looks up at the couple standing now in front of him and misses the ball that falls to the ground "What did I do?"  
It makes them laugh and he eases up a bit.

Caroline sits on the chair closer to him and runs her hand through his hair "Do you remember what we were talking about earlier Dominic? What mommy told you about white lies?"  
He nods.

"Mommy has something to tell you about your daddy… about his death" she says slowly and feels her palms get sweaty.

Dominic looks at her with big curious blue eyes.

"That was a white lie Dominic because mommy couldn't tell you who your daddy was"  
"Because he didn't want me?" Dominic purses his lips about to cry.

"No pumpkin, no. Life just got in the middle of us and he had to leave"  
The boy is still not convinced and is about to cry.

Caroline looks at Klaus that kneels on the other side of the table, Dominic looks at him with his bottom lip over his upper one doing that expression that he knows so well in his mother.

Klaus grabs the tear that wants to come down from his left eye and smiles at the boy "If I had known about you sooner Dominic I would have come for you"

The boy opens his mouth a bit in surprise and widens his eyes slowly understanding what they are trying to tell him, he looks at Caroline that is silently crying and nods at him.

Dominic looks back at Klaus and then he gets up from his chair with a jump, he reaches Klaus and laces his arms tightly around his neck resting his head over the broad shoulder.

Klaus holds the little boy close to him, he can feel a couple of tears sting in his eyes and he doesn't fight them.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Fever - _Peggy Lee_

Everything - _Micheal Bublé_


	13. Message Delivered

Caroline smiles at him, she strokes his stubble like she loves to do and kisses him sweetly.  
Klaus is caressing her beautiful satin cheek and slowly kisses those lips he never wants to leave again.

Even if they can't fully indulge in more heated ways they still manage to kiss each other resting their weight on one side of their bodies separated in his bed by their sleeping son.

There is a giggle and they quickly part ways looking down on the middle of them.  
Dominic is covering his mouth and another giggle escapes him.

"Pumpkin you are awake" Caroline suddenly feels strange knowing her son has witnessed the kisses.  
The boy eagerly nods "It's funny watching you two smoosh"

Caroline looks at Klaus that smiles warmly at the boy and then turns sternly into a hard expression "You think that is funny? I will give you funny"

Dominic gasps but it's too late, Klaus is tickling him without mercy and he twists in the bed laughing loudly.  
"Mercy" he says between loud shrieks and happy laughter.

Klaus is grinning happy and eases up the ruthless tickle attack, he strokes the boy's face and both look at each connecting as father and son.

Dominic closes his eyes when Klaus leans over and kisses his head, the boy laces his small hand around Klaus wrist wanting to keep his father close.

And Klaus doesn't move, he holds the boy close to him while Caroline has to look away to hide the tears that stubbornly won't leave her every time she sees Klaus with their son.

* * *

"April are you ok?" Jeremy asks the girl clutching her head.  
She slowly nods but gets dizzy when she sees blood on her hand "Am I dying?"

Jeremy laughs and rests against the car "Hardly…" he takes his jacket off and shows his bleeding shirt "… since I'm the one hurt"

The bouncer is running to them with another couple of men "Hey kid how bad is it?"  
Jeremy closes his eyes because the pain is throbbing around his shoulder "I'll live"

The broad man takes April's hand and brings it closer to cold blood "Keep pressure on that" he orders and looks at the other men "Send word to the Mikaelsons that the kid is hurt and then find out who was inside that breezer"

The men nod and go away running, the bouncer looks back the girl that looks green "Welcome to Chicago doll"  
April feels queasy but tries to smile at Jeremy that surprisingly is taking it all like a true gangster.

* * *

The loud noise on his front door is making him even angrier, he was forced to leave the bed and the warm emerald in it and whoever forced such a crime on him is obviously in a hurry.

Kol pushes the shirt down his head and opens the door rubbing his eyes "Keep it down, Bonnie is asleep" he tells grumpy at Elijah that steps inside the house fast.

"Someone went after the Gilbert kid just an hour ago"  
Kol seems to wake up faster than expected "Did they got to him?"

"Just a bullet to the shoulder but they unloaded a full load of silver his way before they drove away"  
Kol searches for his boots, getting dressed fast and Bonnie comes from the bedroom tugging her robe closer to the expensive nighty.

Elijah takes off his hat and bows his head to the beautiful woman, his brother chose well, the woman wearing nothing but her natural beauty is breathtaking.  
"My apologies Bonnie for the hasty visit"

She smiles at him dismissing the importance of the harsh wakeup call and looks at Kol.  
He goes for his jacket and his gun "Did you bring anyone with you?" he asks his brother.

Elijah nods "The brothers from Michigan are waiting outside"  
Kol grips the gun in his hand and goes over to Bonnie, he kisses her and then leaves the hot piece in her tiny hand.

"Do not leave this house or open that door to anyone but me. I'm leaving two of our own outside but you keep that gun close to your skin"

She nods slowly at him and kisses him again when his lips search hers, he lingers his fingers a little more on her smooth face and then pulls away leaving the house fast.

Elijah gives another slight nod as farewell to Bonnie and follows his brother.  
He can feel Kol wary but doesn't dare to touch that side of him; no one really knows this side of Kol.

He has never been worried about anyone outside the family before.

* * *

The smoke from my cig fills the dark room and the lowlife strapped to a chair is about to wet himself because I smile at him.

Astonishing how someone in this town still believes he can point a gun at one of us and get away with it.

I move my head to the black man who has been with us since he was about 10 and to whom I taught how to smoke properly.

He roughs the man in front of me, I just watched my son sleep for hours, I don't want to get my hands dirty as yet.

"That's enough Marcel" I tell my loyal help and he punches the poor bastard one more time before breaking away from him.

The other one leaves a nasty blood pool on my floor that deeply upsets me, it's so hard removing blood from concrete.

"You were driving that car, I'm sure you had eyes to see who was in the back seat"  
The man shakes his head "I don't know the names, I was handed a few greens to drive down the street, I didn't know what they were going to do"

I smile again "The engine wasn't cold yet and two of mine were already grabbing you by the neck so what makes you think that I won't find the names of those who you childishly protect?"

The bastard smiles at me and I'm impressed, that doesn't happen often.  
"Then you don't need my help, do you? I have nothing to tell you, go to hell"

I laugh, if you were there with me, you would as well.  
A cheap scruffy young punk with nothing on him worth of value but his Sunday shoes is laughing at me, Niklaus Mikaelson, inside my dark room and after he shot the Orphan kid that Kol has adopted as a brother.

It is hilarious; I'm sure you would agree with me and laugh as loud as I am now.  
Marcel smiles amused as well, some people really don't know the right timing to grow a pair.

"Well…" I drag that long draw from my cig and pull my gun from my holster; I point at his kneecap and pull the trigger "Why don't you indulge me anyway?"

I finish my cig to the sound of heavy pants and a few screams from the funny mate, I'm sure I have enough bullets for all his hilarious remarks.

* * *

Rebekah tosses an extra chocolate spoon into the milk and mixes it all perfectly under the judging look of Caroline.

It's too much chocolate but Rebekah is excited to have Dominic here and Caroline suspects he will be very spoiled by the entire clan.

Elijah comes inside the kitchen curious to see the boy as well and Dominic takes the milk eagerly.  
He looks up from the big mug noticing all the eyes on him.

Everyone must be waiting for him to say something so he licks his brown lips and grins "I have a daddy"

Rebekah smiles and looks at Elijah that finds the remark adorable.  
"And a few uncles" he tells the boy removing his long coat and the hat that he leaves on the table, it's remarkable how much he resembles Niklaus in this age.

"And an aunt" Rebekah quickly adds and fights the urge to pinch his cheeks.  
"And a daddy" the boy states again with a huge smile and resumes to enjoy his chocolate milk.

Rebekah and Elijah face Caroline that is smiling used to the unique ways of her son.  
"He is the most adorable little man I ever seen" Rebekah comes to Caroline "I want to eat him up because he is so lovable"

"He truly is something else Caroline. You and Niklaus are blessed" Elijah joins the ladies and kisses Rebekah's head as she leans against her older brother.

Kol makes it to the kitchen as well and smiles at the boy dangling his legs sitting on the table happy.  
"Hey kid"

"I have a daddy" he tells Kol the news he has been spreading to everyone since he woke up.  
Kol laughs "And you have chocolate milk, how come you got so lucky?"

Dominic points his chubby little finger at Rebekah "The really pretty lady gave me the chocolate and mommy gave me daddy"

"Really? Well careful not to get mixed up there kid" Kol says with a mocking serious face.  
Dominic starts laughing loudly while Caroline comes near them both "Stay away from my son Kol"

He smirks at her "I'll be his favorite uncle"  
She wants to refute his words but she knows how accurate Kol is and strokes Dominic's hair slowly.

"And Bonnie?" she asks seeing how Kol becomes serious.  
She kisses Dominic's cheek "Mommy will be right back"

He doesn't pay her much attention because Rebekah brings the milk bottle over to the table, he hands her the mug with a grin.

Kol follows Caroline out of the kitchen and they stop half way down the hall, where they had so many talks while growing up, she knows everything about his life and dark thoughts that he only shared with her.

"She's important to me Caroline" he says quietly.  
There is a smile on her "She is in love with you"

Kol rests against the wall, Caroline knows how damaged Kol is and how difficult it is for him to feel anything as strong as love.

"I should send her away because I don't want her in danger and I don't know if I can come to love her"  
Caroline tilts her head with a sweet smile "You already are in love with her Kol"

He doesn't look up at her and instead presses his boots together "She could do better than me"  
Caroline moves and takes his baby features into her hands.

"Stop making up bumps where there isn't any. She loves you for what you are and she loves being a moll that one. You got lucky here Kol, she doesn't want anything else but you and I have known Bonnie for a few years, she arrived to this town with big dreams that soon crushed hard but she's a fighter and she never gave up. I've never seen her as happy as she is now sharing a life with you. I couldn't think of a better match"

Kol smiles like a little boy and she sees the spark in his eyes, Caroline shakes her head "Does anyone actually believe you when you say that you don't love her?"

Kol moves away from her with a smirk and she has her answer.

He finds Klaus and Marcel downstairs leaving the room in the back and he isn't too happy with the expression.  
"Anything useful?"

Klaus is making his way to another cigarette.  
"The driver just gave us the names of the two rag-a-muffins that shot Jer" Marcel informs Kol and goes away to fix what Klaus ordered him to.

Kol looks at Klaus "Why do I have the feeling these are the same that pushed Caroline into a wall with Dominic in the room?"  
"Someone hired them to send a message"

Kol takes the drink that his brother offers him "Connor? Maybe Jeremy should have pushed that shiv deeper the first time around"  
Klaus puts his smoke to a rest so he can drink the bourbon "I think this has someone else's finger on it"

"Then we need to track down the foul smell back to its owner"  
Klaus agrees "Are you up for a little baseball game?"

Kol smirks and has his drink quietly.  
Klaus eases up to a smile "There's a little boy upstairs happy to have me as a father"

"Clearly he is too young to know better" Kol chuckles because Klaus grimaces.

The front door opens and they both look at the boy making way inside slowly.  
He has his arm close to his chest and takes the stool next to Kol.

"Did Doctor Fell patch you up properly?" Klaus asks picking up his cig again between his index and his thumb.

Jeremy bends over the counter picking an empty glass "I'm sure she is a doctor of pets not men"  
Klaus pours a generous drink that will blend nicely with the drugs the doctor gave him and Kol laces his hand around Jeremy's neck "You got shot Gilbert, I'm proud of you. Congratulations, now you are truly one of us"

"Have I finally graduated?" Jeremy asks hopeful.  
Kol laughs "All you need now is a fine dame by your side"

"I almost got one killed yesterday" Jeremy sighs into his drink.  
"This is Chicago, she will forgive you by tomorrow" Klaus laughs and leaves them.

He tosses his smoke into the glass before he goes upstairs where he finds Caroline leaning against the kitchen door watching Elijah and Rebekah fondle over Dominic.

He takes her hand and pulls her away to the hall and into his room, she is giggling when he gently pushes her against the door that closes with their movement.  
"Something on your mind Nik?" she asks with a smile.

He takes her neck and tilts her head so he can fully kiss her and then he is doing that thing where she can't tell which day of the week it is because she is dizzy by the passion behind his hungry lips and smooth tongue.

But she is no saint either and scrapes the back of his neck slowly with her fingernails.  
His hair is gently pulled between her fingers next and he moves his lips down her neck achieving a big moan that leaves him satisfied.

His big hand grazes her dress and she slumps against the door when she feels is touch reaching her leg.

"If you don't intend to finish what you are starting Nik, that's just mean" she whispers already out of breath as his hands trail her stomach now and then her cleavage.  
There is a naughty smile in him "Hold that thought for when I get back my beautiful demon"

"Mean" she whispers against his lips before he kisses her again.  
He doesn't last on them this time and caresses her cheek, she knows he has to go.

"Elijah stays here with you, I have a few errands to make"  
She nods and holds his neck between her hands "Be safe" she warmly says to him.

He smiles and strokes her chin slowly "As my moll wishes"  
Caroline gives him that powerful stare of hers and smiles, she pulls her man closer and now she is the one leaving him unsure if he has to go.

Her demon' red lips are smooth and feisty against his and her hands are stoking his chest with passion.

* * *

"That's all for now" Stefan sends the big man away, he has all the statement he needs and spots the Lockwood kid coming around from his office.

One of the goons that works at the Club said that his mother spent the night healing a bad giggle water case in the office.

"You shouldn't open the Club tonight" Stefan tells Tyler putting away his notes related to the incident.

"Like I could" Tyler mumbles and goes around the counter grabbing the first bottle he finds, he harshly drops two glasses over the counter and Stefan realizes he is being bought a drink.

"My main star can't sing because she fell under the weather or should I say under the Mikaelson" Tyler has his drink in one take "And the one that works on the bar isn't coming either because the _weather _in Chicago has caught every woman unprepared"

Stefan chuckles and has his drink slowly.  
"The other one is shaking in the dressing rooms like cotton under the wind" Tyler shakes his head filling up a third glass.

"You mean the one that caught a glimpse of someone being shot and then carried away but has nothing to tell the bulls because she remembers nothing useful?"

Tyler rests his palms over the counter with a sigh "Come on detective, she is in shock"  
Stefan laughs "This one is going under the unsolved file due to lack of evidence but if the Mikaelsons come over, tell them that I have scores to settle with them in case mysteriously someone shows up floating in the river"

"Aren't you best friends with Caroline's fella? You go over there and tell him. I'm no pigeon, just a regular Joe trying to earn a decent clam"

Stefan laughs and puts his hat, he slides the empty glass over to Tyler "Thanks for the hooch Lockwood, it's always nice to meet another one that doesn't _know from nothing_"

Tyler raises his glass after Stefan that leaves his joint fast, he has bigger things to worry now, he is meeting his father in a few hours and that always requires a few dead soldiers to build up the courage.

* * *

"Come on hot gams, why don't you do a little show for me?" the man in his shorts asks the easy doll he found by the corner.

She brought a friend that is entertaining his partner in the other room.  
The short girl has a nice cleavage and he likes her eyes so she's no flat tire.

She pushes her dress down the shoulder and moves her hips slowly, the doll has some moves as well.

He smirks because the dumb Dora that is easing his partner has them as well for the way she has him groaning loudly.  
He gulps down half the bottle easily, this is the life.

He could get used to this easily and with the money they made just to shoot some fish outside the Green Mill they have enough to leave the country and move to some silly place that has sun the entire year.

The girl takes off her dress and he licks his lips, now things are heating up and to think that Big Cheese urged them to leave town right after the torpedo gig.

He is not afraid of anything and he will have his fun with the one sitting on his lap now and playing with his tank top.

Suddenly there is a loud noise and the door is burst open, the doll is screaming and a group of men are making way inside the flat.

He reaches for his gun but a baseball bat hits him across the face so hard he feels his nose shifting sides.

The girl in the bedroom comes running out of it holding her clothes in her hands screaming like the priest just sent her to hell.

"Scram" a young man tells the girls with a smirk checking the view as they run away with not much skin covered.

The man with a broken nose tastes blood in his mouth and listens to a couple of shots in the other room; they just bumped off his friend.

A man squats near him and he gulps down all that blood that fills his throat now, he sees a couple of silver necklaces hanging inside the white shirt and looks up at the man with blue eyes.

"Hello, I'm Klaus. I believe you have a message for me"  
Vaughn closes his eyes as two men carry him away.

* * *

Bonnie sits by the table staring down at the gun, she made coffee but she has that strange feeling and she can't shake the nagging suspicion that something is going to happen.

Apart from the obvious that is; she tried to tell him last night but he cut her off with a kiss and she lost all her courage afterwards.

She has no idea how to tell Kol what she just found out and she is terrified he will reject her now that he seems so warm towards her.

She takes the cold coffee and the smell alone makes her queasy, she can't seem to hold anything inside today.

Must be the jittery and the concern for Kol along with the rest.  
She stands and walks to the kitchen throwing the coffee away but feels that the little she had today will follow.

There is a loud sound outside and she hears perfectly a car shrieking and coming to a sudden halt.  
She moves to the living room and closer to the front door when several popping sounds startle her.

There are a few in response and Bonnie covers her mouth realizing there are guns being fired, she runs to the table shaking.

She barely manages to take the safety off and looks at the door, she points the gun there waiting for it to move.

She can't really hold the gun straight because she is shaking so much and she is scared when she sees Connor making his way inside her house with a dark smile.

She is scared but she's not scared for her sake, she is scared for the baby growing inside of her.

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

The boys does nothing - _Alesha Dixon_


	14. There is peace in my darkness

Bonnie is shaking but she keeps the gun pointed at him, Connor looks around the house but doesn't linger on the irrelevant walls and turns his attention to the woman barely keeping it together.

"Your wise guy wouldn't be hiding in the other room would he?" the man asks looking at the girl better, she's really easy on the eye but he prefers the ivory queen to her exotic look.

Bonnie doesn't lower the gun but takes a step back with it, Connor waves his gun in the air still hot from the bullets he left on the goons guarding the house.

"They left a shiv in my guts and think they can get away with it, maybe if I leave half your brain scattered on his floor, the wise guy and his family will learn their lesson"

She doesn't want to but she can feel her eyes warm with tears and lowers her gun "Please don't do this, I haven't done anything to you"

Connor smirks like a devil amused with the plea "Aren't you all innocent now doll? Not so brave when your wise guy isn't around to protect you?"

"It's not that…" she touches her stomach.  
Connor is now really close to her and she doesn't fight him when he takes the gun away from her shaking hand.

"You really are pretty, I hadn't noticed the green emeralds that grace his bed"

Bonnie looks down hiding her eyes from him, she knows enough about men to know his vengeance towards Kol just changed into something much more sickening.

Connor tosses her gun away and drops the one in his hand over the table facing her, he takes his jacket off, he can think of a way or two to make the Mikaelsons angry.

He would never be able to get to the blonde but one moll is as good as the other to send a message.

Bonnie closes her eyes when he touches her face, she's repulsed and doesn't know which fate is worse, only that she regrets not telling Kol that she loves him and that she's carrying a child that belongs to him.

* * *

Klaus takes the bleeding man's face into his hands; he is careful not to get blood on his fingers and makes him look at him.

"You should look at me when you deliver a message"

Vaughn can't open his right eye, the blood and bruises barely allow him to breathe and his left eye sees only the necklaces hanging from Klaus' chest.

"Someone doesn't like you" he says the words before the blood makes him cough hard.  
"I'm truly perplexed, I'm a very nice mate" Klaus makes him look up.

Vaughn thinks that maybe his brain is failing him because he sees Klaus smiling "They paid me to scare you away from Chicago"

"So you decided that going after my woman and my son was wise?" Klaus squints "I suppose they didn't pay you be smart"

"I didn't touch them" Vaughn feels the large man who has been beating him up grab his arms.  
Klaus releases his face and stands up while Marcel holds Vaughn for him.

"It's the principal behind it all mate, you do not go around so briskly threatening my family. A mistake I'm sure you will never commit again"

Vaughn knows his time is coming to an end and that Klaus' smiling face is the last eerie image he will take to his wooden box.

"Who paid you to push me away from the city that belongs to my family?" Klaus asks loading his gun.  
"The one that runs it now" Vaughn says his last words.

"Thank you" Klaus says easily unloading the gun on Vaughn's chest.

He could look past the gentle nudge for him to leave town but he can't get past that his Caroline and Dominic were threatened.

* * *

"Anything we can use?" I ask Nik that comes from the back room.

I can tell he is tired, the day barely began and already it is taking its toll on him, between roughing the fellas in the back and trying to keep Dominic and Caroline upstairs away from all that's going on down here its all straining on him.

I know my brother well but I also know Caroline and she is fully aware that she will be sharing a bed with a Nik that has his hands dirty with blood by the end of the night.

Nik answers me and I know now that we have the good Mayor of Chicago against us, for some reason, I don't even want to know why.

I leave the whys and the hows to Nik and Elijah, they have the patience for that, I'm too hasty and I'm on everyone's face before they even tell me their name.

Nik takes the bottle to a table and I know he wants to enjoy it with a cig, I let my brother be, he needs to let his day end here before he goes upstairs to his woman and son.

I smile, Nik has a son, now that's something.

Caroline is part of Nik, she has merged into his life like ink to a piece of paper and now they have something to show the world out of all that love that we all silently envy.

My mind flies to my own demon that made her way silently into my heart.

She didn't demand a thing but quietly is taking all that I have.

I finish my drink but I'm on edge, I'm not sure I should have left her alone with the Michigan brothers, they are the best we have but still I want to get this done with and go home.

Finally Elijah comes out of the office with the Captain he has been sweetening for information.

The fat man puts his hat on and leaves without a word, I know instantly he has spoken too much already inside the office.

Elijah writes down a few numbers he will have to add to the copper's monthly envelope and looks at me "Connor is still in town and he has been asking around about you"

I don't know why I'm so shaken, it's not the first time I have low-lives interested in me but I expected a different name behind the infatuation.

"Are you sure about this?" I still ask like a retarded but you have to find strange that I was right all along with my wet feeling about the long coat.

Elijah takes the stool next to me and I know already he is getting ready to stop me from going after a federal agent that I will beat into a glorious pulp with my bare hands.

"Connor has been on leave since they closed the Donovan case and the Captain digged around a few graves, he has some sordid dirts that he has been hiding under the rug he uses as badge"

I get up and take the jacket on the other stool "Such as?"  
Elijah takes his time and I listen to Nik getting up, so now they will both try to stop me, which means I will not like the answer.

"He has a reputation back in New York" Elijah drags the moment to my torment, I already suspect what he is about to say "He is a dirty cop and when he has a problem with someone he goes after their families first"

I turn away fast, I know he meant the women and my head is spinning out of control.

"Kol" Elijah urges me to wait.

But how can I?  
We stabbed him as a warning and he didn't go after Jeremy.

All this time we were distracted with the ones behind the drive by and turns out that was the Mayor, so where is Connor?

After the only one that isn't inside this house, I rush out of Room 21 feeling my chest clenching my heart because I know I just made my biggest mistake by leaving Bonnie alone.

* * *

Tyler pushes the door to the office open, he expects a lot worse than finding the girl who works for his father sitting on the desk with him between her legs, at least she has clothes on and they are still beginning their little afternoon session.

"It's always good to see how this town is keeping you busy" he sits on the couch watching the girl hurriedly pulling her clothes and shame together.

She runs out of the office without facing Tyler but he isn't interested in the younger doll that his father has taken a liking to.

Richard closes his shirt and tugs it into his pants upset with the interruption "You could have knocked"

Tyler laughs and opens his arms "Why bother? You not coy about the skirt that has been keeping you busy"

"Your mother and I have an arrangement" he says annoyed that he has to explain himself to his idiotic son.

"I know, you tap your secretary every given Sunday and my mother drinks herself to oblivion"  
He spots the accusation spike in Tyler's tone of voice "Stand up when you are trying to be a man Tyler"

Lockwood smiles and stands up facing his father like an equal, he knows his courage will leave him soon but he still has one last spark in him "Why did you want to see me?"

"How's the Club doing?"  
"Closed for today, there was some heat outside that needs to cool down"

"I see… The Green Mill is part of this town, inside or outside of it there is always something going on"

Tyler isn't too happy with the sudden will to carry on a full conversation, he wants to scram out of here because he can't stand his father.  
Richard picks up on it but he won't be told by his useless son when to rush a talk.

"Connor came to me; he had a small side business with you?"  
"I gave him money once to keep him quiet and to send him away, he was annoying with his delusional quest to get his hands into the Mikaelson empire"

"Empire?" Richard chuckles with the choice of compliment "Don't tell me you are working for them now"

"I'm not the one sleeping with a dumb Dora on the office they gave you"  
"The good citizens of Chicago elected me, not them"

Tyler smiles stretching the courage his bourbon gave him before coming here "Elijah Mikaelson is behind every politician that Chicago has ever seen. He is the master behind the puppets that show their neck on the newspapers"

"Things are about to chance Tyler, they were away for many years and Mikael was easy to buy, he sold his sons and secrets for a lot less than he demanded for his bootleg"

Tyler frowns because he doesn't understand where the talk is headed but Richard hands him a drink and smiles throwing him off even more.

"Why am I here?"  
Richard smiles "We have elections this year and I like the desk they gave me so I need to do something to keep it"

Tyler has his drink slowly "Why should I even care?"  
"Because you are my son"

Tyler laughs into the drink "Please let's not even go there, you don't want a son and I don't need a father"  
"Aren't you all brave today" Richard drops making Tyler tense.

Richard has his drink eyeing Tyler, how he wished he was blessed with a better son but God isn't kind when he gives away beauty and smarts.

Carol used to be stunning before she took Gin as her lawful husband but she was never that smart and Tyler seems to lack bravery out of all things.

"You have a Club now because someone took Donovan out of the way"  
Tyler loses his appetite for the drink "Like you took care of his father?"

The spark of courage in Tyler leaves Richard smiling "I need the money to run for Mayor again"  
"You mean, you need money to buy your way to the elections"

"I'm fascinated by your smart ways today"  
Tyler drops the drink on the small table that he is sure has been graced by the toots that is leaning against the door so she can run back to the Mikaelsons and tell them everything.

Tyler doesn't want to get into trouble with them, he has his own successful business with the girls he brings in to please the big names in town.

They like watching them dance and they pay well for them to willingly do what the good wives of Chicago find too insulting to do.

He is not about to mess that up by giving in to his cheating abusive father.  
"I'm not helping you"

Richard clenches his jaw and takes Tyler's neck harshly "I didn't listen well, repeat that for me son"

Tyler has been afraid of his father all of his life but he grew used to the beatings and is ready for what hits him.  
Richard grabs his face and then playfully slaps him "Never mind, I thought I heard you say no to me"

For a moment Tyler expects him to let him go but Richard buries his knee in Tyler's stomach that ends on the floor coughing.

Richard straightens his shirt and his hair; he runs his fingers through it watching Tyler on his knees looking up at him.  
The painful look on Tyler should bother him but the kid has been a disappointment so he ignores it.

"I'm not giving you a clam" Tyler says and prepares to bleed but the girl moves on the door opening it to the man paying her on the side.

Klaus steps into the office with a slow pace, he takes in the scene and instantly recognizes himself on the floor looking up at his father.

"I hope I'm not interrupting a happy family moment"

Richard is surprised with the visit and Tyler is stunned that Klaus is in front of him offering him his hand.

Tyler slowly takes it and both men share a look of understanding, it's enough to not leave Tyler ashamed and he gets up with the strong help of Klaus.

Klaus nods at the young Lockwood and then faces the older one.  
"You have been looking for me? I'm here"

Richard wavers on his determined ways.

Klaus looks at Tyler and the kid widens his eyes knowing exactly what's about to happen.  
He slowly turns around and leaves the office; Klaus closes the door and locks himself inside with Richard.

He faces the Mayor with a smile "Let us talk"

* * *

Connor traces Bonnie's face slowly, he will enjoy this one; she is strangely appealing and very addictive to look at.

She has such a foreign look to her and her skin is very soft, he looks down and his mouth waters at the generous cleavage.

These Mikaelson brothers seem to have the good eye for the women.

His big hand grabs her neck forcefully because she is resisting him already, he smiles; this one will put up a good fight.

She is close enough for a kiss and he is getting excited but she pushes him away only to have him grab her arm and pull her to him.

Then there's a sound that startles both and before his slimy hand reaches the sleeve of her purple dress, they both look at the door.

One of the wounded men that work for Kol is clutching a bleeding chest but still points his gun at Connor, he squeezes the trigger and a fast bullet hits Conner in the shoulder.

The man slides down the door losing blood fast and dies before he can help Kol's girl again and Connor recovers fast reaching for the gun but Bonnie is faster and takes it away from him pointing it at him.

She takes the safety off, she remembers that and doesn't have to picture one of the regulars at the Mill; his face will do.

She means to shoot him in the heart just for his disgusting hand that dared to touch her but when she pulls the trigger she misses and he comes at her with raging anger.

Kol forgot to teach her if she needs to do something after the first shot, no matter how many times she squeezes that trigger nothing happens.

"Out of bullets doll" he grabs her by the hair and slaps her.  
He takes the gun and prepares to hit her across the face with it when several shots are fired and he falls to his face.

Bonnie was shielding herself and slowly takes her hands away from her face confused about her savior.

Kol walks over and empties his gun on the already dead man, he wishes he had 100 more bullets he could put into him but for now that will do.

He takes Bonnie into his arms quickly because he needs to feel her warmth, to make sure she's alright "I'm sorry" he whispers when she starts crying clutching to him.

He drops the gun and holds her closer, his hand on the back of her head and making sure she's where he never wants her to leave, in his arms.

"I'm sorry I left you alone" the despair is slowly hitting him, he almost got her hurt because of him and he almost lost her.

Bonnie doesn't say anything, she just cries against his chest scared.

* * *

Carol is making her way to another drink, she will take this one to the bathroom and hopefully drown in the tub.

She is miserable and she hates her golden palace that is always empty.

There is ice in the drink that she can't remember placing and she decides against it shortly after so she is busy fetching for it with her fingers when the front door opens.

She glances over wondering why Richard decided to grace her with his presence when she catches him grabbing at a few broken ribs.

He looks awful, all scuffed and shirt ripped covered in blood, someone sure showed him what a good time was.

She smiles as he drags himself up the stairs like a little pup with its tail between his legs.  
Carol raises her drink free of ice and cheers at his misery, her day turned out to be pretty shiny after all.

* * *

Klaus strokes the soft blonde hair and lightly touches his sweet sleeping face.  
Dominic makes a small sniffling noise and Klaus smiles smitten by everything his son is.

Klaus closes his eyes when he feels her arms go around him, they rest over his chest and his heart beats strongly under her touch.

"I missed you both today" he says resting his hand over hers.  
Caroline rests her head over his shoulder "I know that you were making sure we were safe"

Klaus moves his arm as she makes way to stand in front of him, she smiles and he doesn't know why he deserves such luck.

"Marry me Caroline" he cups her cheek and whispers into the room.

He can tell she is taken by his proposal and her big eyes sparkle in happiness.  
"A man like you doesn't care about marriage" she tells him softly.

She's not scolding him, she understands him.

"But it is important to you and Dominic needs to have my name"

She moves her hands along his broad back resting them on his lower back "You had me the minute I saw you Nik, the rest is just glitter around me. When I held Dominic in my arms for the first time I cried because I was scared to drag him into this life, this tiny baby in my arms was all I had left of you after you went to New Orleans and it was overwhelming but he was everything to me just like you had been. I have you both now, I don't care about anything else"

He takes her tears away with his thumbs on her cheeks and strokes her face, he pulls her closer and kisses her lips.  
"I love you Caroline, I would do anything for you both"

"How about you finish that talk we started this morning?" she whispers removing his shirt from inside the pants.

Klaus teases her lips while she moves her hands around his waist and opens his shirt.  
He takes his hand around her neck and brings her closer to a deep kiss that makes both silently moan.

They leave his bedroom and lock themselves in Elijah's, his shirt doesn't make it past the door and his hands are swift pulling her dress down her shoulders.

Caroline lets out a loud blissful sound when he kisses her neck down to her shoulder.  
They crash hard against Elijah's bed and she scratches along his back because he wastes no time tonight.

He needs to feel Caroline and put past the man he killed and the one he taught a lesson.  
He just wants to get lost in her and the sounds she makes as he claims her intensely.

She arches her back and he presses her closer to him while grabbing at the mattress under her with his other hand.

"Nik…" her lips part in pleasure and her hand presses him to her as well.  
Klaus feels the skin in his back burn with her touch and groans watching her fully surrender to his steady pace.

The sounds that leave her are now painfully ripping through him like a sharp shiv that reaches his heart; he is the one doing this to her.

"Sweetheart…" his hand leaves the mattress and takes her cheek.  
Caroline slowly meets his eyes and everything becomes increasingly more intense as they lock stares, he kisses her and there is a whimper because she's close.

But so is he and he finishes it for both, an overwhelming wave covering them in bliss and pleasure.  
He rests his head tired over her sweaty chest; Caroline slowly searches his hair stroking it slowly.

Klaus is trying to control his breathing and has his eyes closed not wanting to move an inch away from her.

"Elijah is going to kill us" she lazily outlines his shoulders.  
Klaus smirks against her chest "About time this bed experienced some action"

Caroline laughs and her chest shakes with it, Klaus finds it soothing and wants to fall asleep in her arms.

* * *

She stopped crying but looks tired leaning against the kitchen door as Kol helps Jeremy load the dead bodies to truck.

"I'll take care of them, set them on fire along with the truck in the next city by the docks"  
"Make sure no one sees you" Kol slowly tells him.

Jeremy smiles happy that he was the one Kol called for the job; he feels proud and tugs his wounded shoulder closer to his chest stepping inside the big truck.

Kol closes the door and stays there for a second, Jeremy graces the big wheel under his hands "You didn't know"  
Kol looks at him and Jeremy feels that he stepped over the line.

"I should have" he simply says and taps the door sending him away "Be careful"  
Jeremy sure wasn't expecting the sweet words and shows it by awkwardly smiling and nodding.

Kol returns to the house and closes the front door unable to face Bonnie, guilt is eating him inside and he can tell how shaken she is by everything.

He rests against the front door watching the blood stain in the floor that Jeremy missed and then he slowly faces her.

Bonnie just looks at him like she's about to walk out on him and never return.  
He expects it because who would stay after what just happened, this is no life for anyone and he would run away from it as well if it wasn't all that he ever knew.

She finally moves and he can feel it in his bones, this is it, she's leaving him.  
Bonnie stops by the table facing him.

"I'm pregnant"

Kol feels the ground shift under his feet, surely he heard wrong.

* * *

**Soundtrack: **

Let your love walk in – _Paloma Faith_


	15. The 20's

"Did you hear what I said Kol?" she asks him slowly wondering if he is even listening.

Kol just stares at the ground unable to process it all and she moves again, this time she leans against the table for support.  
"I said that I'm pregnant" she says again slowly.

Bonnie doesn't expect much out of this, she knows how this will unfold.  
Every second with him has been unexpected but sweetly kept in her memories, she knows she won't be ever as happy as she has been with him and that should make it up for the pain that she is headed.

When he sends her away with his unborn child, she knows it will cripple her and leave her weak but she always suspected she wasn't destined to be that happy in life.

Her father left when she came into the picture and her mother turned to another man who didn't want a child that wasn't his.

Somehow she always knew her fate wasn't far from this.  
Bonnie looks up at Kol, the boy with a cheeky smile that was too broken for her to fix.

But he looks up at her with tears in his eyes that leave her breathless "I'm going to be a father"

She barely nods because he is fast and comes to her, Kol falls to his knees and laces his arms around her waist, resting his forehead against her tummy.

Bonnie is taken by his movement and looks down on him, Kol moves away from her a bit and his hands come to the front, resting over her tummy, he smiles and looks up at her "A baby… our baby"

She smiles through her silent tears and strokes his wild hazelnut hair "Our baby"  
Kol stands and cups her face kissing her slowly, he leaves another soft kiss on her lips before he smiles happy.

She has fallen into his embrace from where she doesn't want to part, she knows no other reality now and she doesn't want to.

She strokes his cheek and says the words that live in her chest only meant for him "I love you"

Kol can't stop smiling and kisses her again, making sure she is close to him.  
Maybe just maybe he has earned his happiness through it all.

* * *

Dominic stretches his arms as far as they go in the air attempting to wake up, he likes these new days where he isn't forced to go to school and he likes it even more that he is sleeping in this room.

He moves careful not to wake his mommy that is sleeping next to him and sneaks a little kiss on her smiling face before he rushes out of the room.

Dominic doesn't know the house well yet but he can smell pancakes and he follows the yummy smell.  
He stops watching the man with his back on him with a big smile "Good morning"

Klaus turns to his son "There you are, I was beginning to worry who would eat all these…" he points to the ridiculous amount of pancakes on the plate.  
"I volunteer" Dominic giggles and goes to Klaus.

He picks him up and sits him on the counter brushing a kiss on his cheek that makes Dominic grin, he nods to the pancakes and they both indulge in them.

"You make the best pancakes in the world" Dominic says while he eats all happy.  
Klaus finishes his and prepares a mug of chocolate for the boy "Mommy taught me"

Dominic takes another pancake and dangles his legs frowning when Kol comes into the kitchen out of breath.

"I'm going to be a father" he tells Klaus with no introduction.

Dominic laces his arms around Klaus that is next to him, he is keeping this one just in case someone decides to claim him.  
Klaus smiles and strokes the boy's hair while attempting to say something useful to his baby brother.

"Bonnie, I assume?"  
Kol gives him a look "Of course Bonnie"

"Well congratulations, it is the best that will ever happen to you"  
Kol sits down but doesn't last there; he is on edge and looks for the stash of bootleg they have up here.

He has two straight drinks and keeps shaking his head, Dominic holds his pancake close and leans over to his father "He looks funny" he whispers.

"Ignore him" Klaus picks his son up "Shall we go wake mommy? She's being rather lazy today"  
Dominic nods eagerly but takes a pancake for the ride, he gives his daddy half of his pancake though.

They both share a mischievous smile because Caroline is still sleeping soundly and decide to wake her by jumping on the bed.

She's not very happy but how can she stay mad when she has her two men smiling at her in the exact same way?  
It's impossible to resist dimples in double.

* * *

I close my shirt watching her get dressed, the hint of shame for my less honorable ways still lingers but after another lovely dinner filled with talks about books and poetry, it was impossible to resist my sweet Elena.

She is all I have looked for in a woman and her sweet, kind ways leave me powerless.

She brushes her hair and smiles at me, I cannot help myself and bring her closer to another kiss, her hands warm my chest just like they did last night and I have to search for the will to stop another unfolding of heaven.

"Elijah… I don't want to part from you now…" she sweetly spikes that lust in me with her words and her gentle eyes that I want to keep looking into.

I stroke her smiling face "I will ask your mother for permission to marry you and take you away with me to New Orleans"  
"New Orleans?" she asks me confused.

"Chicago is changing and I know that something bad is making its way to the town. I was happy in New Orleans and now that we have succumb to our desires I want to make the right choice and take you with me"

Elena looks down from me, she straightens her dress unable to look me in the eyes "You don't have to do this just because of what happened last night. I knew what I wanted but I don't expect anything more than the perfect night you gave me"

I make her look at me and kiss her again, her lips are irresistible and I don't want to cease feeling its warmth and smoothness.

"I was your first man Elena, I intend to be your last"

She smiles and I swear I can listen to her heart beat strongly; I dare to wish it will only beat for me for as long as we both shall live.

It's not a surprise that after another kiss, my hands don't obey my brain and I take her dress off yet again indulging in everything that she makes me feel.

Elena gives herself to me as purely as she has last night but is more eager and passionate in her ways and I find that my heaven has only now begun.

* * *

"A baby?" Rebekah asks still shaken by the news.

Bonnie nods looking around the kitchen table to all the surprised looks, Caroline has the biggest smile on her face and Kol looks a bit nervous which makes Bonnie laugh.  
"I think it only now is starting to make way into Kol's brain"

He smiles and runs his hand through his hair "I'm going to have a boy to teach baseball to"  
"Or a girl" Rebekah says excited "Bonnie, a little girl to dress up"

Kol isn't too happy and moves his head to the side "I want a boy"  
Bonnie gives him a look "I might want a girl"

"You could have both" Klaus says from his side of the table where he is sitting with Dominic that is doing his math homework not a bit amused.

No one told him that he was going to be homeschooled now and that he had homework to do.

Bonnie and Kol look at each other pondering the possibility when Elijah arrives to the kitchen.

"Good morning" he speaks to the crowded room.  
"Bonnie and Kol are going to have a baby" Rebekah happily informs him of the news.

He stops on his way to the coffee and looks at the couple "I'm shocked but in a good way, this is wonderful news"

"At least some of us are doing something right" Kol smugly smiles but gets hit by Bonnie's hand in the back of his head.

Elijah laughs "Welcome to the family Bonnie"  
She smiles happy "Thank you"

Kol rubs his head pouting like a little kid which makes Dominic laugh.  
Bonnie leans over kissing his lips which makes Kol reluctantly smile.

"Do you have a minute? I need to talk to you" Klaus asks Elijah getting up from the table.

Dominic smiles happy that he is left alone but catches his mother giving him the hawk eye and grimaces back to the dull exercise in front of him.

* * *

Liz goes through the girl that gives her a vile smile and storms inside the office.  
Richard stands up upset from his desk "What are you doing here?"

"Caroline and my grandson haven't returned home, they are staying with him"  
"What do you want me to do about that?"

"How about your end of the deal?"  
He doesn't enjoy the way she is addressing him at all "Find someone else to bump him off" he says rubbing his black eye.

"I didn't take you for a coward Richard" she sends as fast as he scolds her.  
"I tried taking him out for a ride doll but Klaus is not a man you can dispose off that easily"

"You promised me" she says between clenched teeth.  
"I promised nothing Liz… you assumed it all from the start"

She doesn't miss the hint in his words "She is your daughter Richard"  
"One that I couldn't bother to care about. I already have one loser that refuses to support my campaign"

"Is that all you care about?" she asks with tears that he never saw her shed.  
He laughs and fixes a drink he takes slowly "What did you expect Liz? That I leave my wife and recognize Caroline as my daughter? I still have a name to use around this town"

"I see… how wrong I have been…"  
He takes his drink without looking at her "No one told you to be a sap for all these years, I already had a taste of the Mikaelson fist, I'm not dying to see the end of a barrel"

"A piker and a rag-a-muffin…"  
He smugly smiles "At least I'm not a pushover but you already knew that" he looks at her with a wet smile "That ride a few weeks ago was good to remind us of old times but that's all there is to it"

She holds back her tears and turns around to leave.  
"Elisabeth?" he asks sparkling hope in her.

She stops by the door.  
"Close the door when you leave" he coldly says.

Liz lifts her head and leaves the office certain that humiliation is now part of her.

* * *

Elijah takes off his coat and takes the drink Klaus hands him in the office.  
"What is this about brother?"

"I'm leaving with Caroline and Dominic, I have already spoken to Caroline and she agrees that this town is no place to raise our son"

Elijah smiles warmly by the way his brother sounds, he is proud of the man Klaus became especially now that he knows he is a father.

"I have been toying with the thought myself… I want to take Elena with me"  
Klaus chuckles surprised "Elena? Have you finally gained the courage to kiss her?"

Elijah has his drink quietly "I'm not as fast as my two brothers that have legacy already"  
Klaus smiles amused "Oh Elijah… that look may fool everyone else but I sense that you have started your own legacy with the angel twin"

"Niklaus" Elijah warns his brother cautiously.  
But Klaus has a big smirk on his face and ignores it altogether "I won't tell anyone" he whispers much to Elijah's exasperation.

Klaus leaves the glass behind and steps into the dark bar when the door lets in the woman that he has been expecting.  
Caroline and Dominic have been here for days, Liz was destined to come looking for them.

"Where are they?" Liz asks clasping her bag sternly, just like her loath for the man she despises.  
"What do you want with them?" Klaus easily returns the disdain he feels for the woman that always tried to break them apart.

Liz chuckles bitterly "She is my daughter"  
"So you came to say goodbye? We are leaving in a few days"

Liz opens her mouth in a subtle shock "I should have expected that you would run away with them"  
"One only runs away when its ashamed of something Liz"

She hates that he calls her for her name so bluntly but she does hate everything about him.

"I wish my daughter saw just the kind of man you are"  
"A man who loves her, that wants to spend the rest of his days with her and our son?"

"A low life that will never be able to lead a respectful life"  
Klaus looks down for a minute and gathers his thoughts "I know Caroline deserves better than what I can give her"

Liz shakes her head "You forget I watched you grow up Niklaus and I saw all the girls you sneaked into your room and all the side games you pulled to make dirty money. I tried to stop my daughter from falling for a man like you but she was doomed from the start and there was nothing I could do for her"

"I have always been faithful to her and I will never let anything happen to her or Dominic" he says determined since she refuses to see how much he loves them.  
"You will get them killed" she hisses like a bad curse she's launching on them.

"Then we will die by his side" Caroline says coming down the stairs and joining the conversation.

Liz grits her teeth in clear disapproval "You don't know what you are saying"  
Caroline takes Klaus hand as a statement "Where he goes, I go. I am his woman and the moll to his gangster side. I love him and I chose this life because it is his life and I will not give up on him again, I'm not afraid this time"

Klaus holds her hand tighter and looks at Liz, there is nothing more to say.  
Liz nods realizing this was the end of the line to her fight "Goodbye Caroline" she says turning around to leave.

Klaus turns to his woman and strokes her face "Are you sure my beautiful blonde demon with the red lips?"  
She smiles and leans her face against his chest "I love you Nik. That's all there is to it"

He smiles bringing her face closer to him and kisses her knowing she holds his life and will in those hands of hers and that she can easily do with him what she wishes but he wouldn't want it any other way.

* * *

I stood on that staircase hidden watching my father and my mother kiss like nothing else existed in the world.

I didn't know about love when I was 10 and now that I am turning 20, I still believe they have the biggest and greatest love I have ever known.

I'd be lucky to find a gal one day that will make me half as happy as they make each other.

I never saw my grandmother after that day, I heard that she still lives in our old house and I know my mother sends her money every month though they stopped talking.

We all left to New Orleans later that week to start a new life.

Chicago was never the same after we left.  
The big depression or Black Friday as it went down on history destroyed the city we all loved.

The bubbly, jazzy happy days ended with all the desperate suicides and misery of those who lost everything when the stock market crashed.

The Green Mill closed doors and the big stars that once graced that amazing stage all vanished.  
All but my mother that still saves me a song every day and sings for my father while she happily takes care of the house.

Everyone lives here.

My uncle Kol and Bonnie that are on their second baby already.  
Elena and my uncle Elijah that got married.

My aunt Rebekah that takes care of the children to forget her sadness, she never forgot the love of her life, Damon Salvatore that died in a riot in prison and whom she still mourns and quietly remembers during the long nights in Louisiana, I know that Jeremy keeps her company some of these nights.

He became Kol's right hand in all the family business.  
My uncle Elijah was always suspicious of the market and kept our money away from it, we started a new business in New Orleans, a legit thing as they call it.

My family now runs the major clubs in New Orleans but my father took a step back leaving it to Kol and Jeremy.  
My mother mostly spends her days fixing the house and watching my father's love for painting.

Nik as I called him before I knew who he truly was become my role model in everything, my closest friend to whom I tell everything and that never raised his voice or his hand to me, my father's only demand was that I finished my studies and stayed away from the business.

Stefan and his wife visit us during the holidays but they never stay too long, only enough to bring the news.

Tyler Lockwood is the new Mayor in Chicago and he made Stefan Captain of the police, one that he wants bribe free and with a new face.

Something Richard would never do, he was found dead a few years after the depression with two bullet holes in his head and no lead to the killer.

My mother laughs in that happy way I grew used listening to and I take my eyes away from the medicine books that will make me a doctor soon and smile.

My father is twirling her around to the sound of an old song, one from the Club where they spent so much of their time.

He smiles enchanted with the way she looks at him and kisses her cheek, I doubt ten years from now they will look at each other any different or that I will feel less blessed to have them as my parents.

They teach us in college about what happened in the roaring 20's, the crazy times when champagne was served in Clubs that were filled with sassy Jazz and dashing men with the flapper girls leading a revolution of their own.

The times when everyone would dance until they fell and a hat was as important as a good cigar.

"Do you mind if I cut in?" I ask my father.  
He smiles and kisses my mother's hand before handing her to me.

She smiles and dances with me, I'm finally tall enough to dance with her by the way and my father is watching us lighting up one of his cigarettes.

I smoothly lead my mother to a soft spin and I laugh to myself, how wrong are all those books.

The 20's are not about the sultry years full of life when everyone had some dirt on someone, it was about love.

It was when my parents fell in love and left their eternal mark on Chicago.

* * *

** The end.**

* * *

**Soundtrack:**

I'm through with love – _Marilyn Monroe_


	16. Soundtrack

Ain't no other man – _Christina Aguilera_

Dream a little dream of me – _Doris Day_

Cry me a river - _Ella Fitzgerald_

L.O.V.E - _VV Brown_

Mercy – _Duffy_

Come away with me – _Norah Jones  
_**  
**As time goes by – _Billie Holiday_

At Last – _Etta James_

Sway – _Dean Martin_

That's life – _Frank Sinatra_

I got trouble – _Christina Aguilera_

Scratch my back –_ Aurea_

Why don't you do right –_ Peggy Lee & Benny Goodman_

Fever - _Peggy Lee_

Everything - _Micheal Bublé_

The Boy Does Nothing - _Alesha Dixon_

Let your love walk in – _Paloma Faith_

I'm through with love - _Marilyn Monroe_


End file.
